


The Art of Finding Each Other

by TinyRayOfSun



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Adventure & Romance, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Mutual Pining, POV Alternating Between Zuko and Katara, POV Third Person, Post-100 Year War (Avatar TV), Post-Canon, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:35:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 37
Words: 150,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24378841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TinyRayOfSun/pseuds/TinyRayOfSun
Summary: The war is over.However, barely a week has passed since Team Avatar ended it. Now, they are all trying to acclimatize to the new world and their new responsibilities.Katara and Zuko have shared many experiences. Still, there are some mutual feelings between them that were left unexplored, ignored and put on hold in order to focus on the bigger picture.They are even technically involved with other people, despite their clear connection to each other.When the start of a new era and Zuko’s search for his mother finds them working closer than ever before, those feelings finally start coming to light.The only question left to be settled is whether or not they will be able to deal with them.—Or: My really slow burn / slow build Zutara take on Zuko’s search for his mom.
Relationships: Aang/Katara temporarily, Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Mai/Zuko temporarily
Comments: 225
Kudos: 296





	1. The Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Welcome to my first venture into Avatar/Zutara fanfiction!  
> I really wanted to start right where the series ended and see how Zuko and Katara would deal with their feelings while being involved with Mai and Aang, respectively. This story shows the aftermath of the war and revolves around Zuko’s search for his mother, as he and Katara discover their true feelings for each other. Be prepared for a slow burn!  
> In my opinion the connection between them is undeniable and so special. I hope I can honour it properly.  
> More work is coming soon, I’ll be posting a new chapter every couple of days.
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone for reading! Comments/reviews are always appreciated, so don’t be shy! <3

It had been almost a week after Team Avatar celebrated their victory at The Jasmine Dragon.  


Now everyone, except for uncle Iroh who stayed at Ba Sing Se to take care of his tea shop, was back at the Fire Nation Capital, settling down as honorable war heroes.  


As war heroes they would have a more crucial part to play in politics and decision making. This included working alongside new Fire Lord Zuko to bring back normality and formally end the war. There was a ton of work to do: council meetings to attend, peace treatments to prepare, arrangements to be made, ministers to discuss with and legislations to approve of.

The first couple of days everyone was just trying to manage all the changes at once, their new responsibilities but also their newfound freedom. Breakfast and dinner were the times to enjoy together, apart from all the meetings and councils. During their spare time, the routine changed up from day to day. 

They liked having a place to go home to, even if it was the heart of the Fire Nation. Some stability was needed after being on the run for so long. Maybe they would go back to traveling soon enough, who knew. But for now, they were happy with their newly found routine and responsibilities.

It was a Friday night and Katara was getting ready. She was going to eat dinner with everyone and later go out with Aang. He had told her he wanted to go to the theater to watch a funny play and laugh the week off. 

Things were good between them, but Katara still felt weird about the way their relationship had progressed. Everything had happened a bit too quickly for her taste, it felt like a confusing blur. Now, they were like the unofficial couple of the group, well, if you could count Mai and Zuko as official or even stable.

The situation was confusing at the relationship department, except for Sokka and Suki. Katara couldn’t help but envy how easy it felt for those two, always seeming to be on the same page.

After the kiss on Ba Sing Se, Aang seemed like the happiest boy on earth. She was truly flattered by it. But, was she the happiest girl? She still didn’t have an answer for that.

The girl was just about to get out when she felt a knock on the door.

“Hey, are you ready for dinner ye- Whoa, you look splendid!” Suki said.

“Thanks.” She had indeed dressed up a bit nicer than usual, with a deep blue dress she had bought back in Ba Sing Se.

“What’s the occasion?” Her friend looked curious.

Katara felt her cheeks turning a tad red. “Oh, nothing special. Aang insisted on going to the theater in the city and I thought dressing up a little would be appropriate.”

“So you and Aang, huh?” Suki laughed as she teased her friend.

“I guess... I’m taking things slow. We both are.” She honestly felt confused. Were the two of them really taking things slow? Shouldn’t she be absolutely excited? Shouldn’t she want to talk more about Aang?

Her friend didn’t seem to notice the troubled expression that momentarily crossed her face. “Sure, sure. Okay, hurry up, we are late for dinner”.

Suki left the room and Katara quickly followed after her. She didn’t want to miss dinner with all her friends, her peculiar little family.

Everyone else was at the salon, already sitting down for dinner but still waiting for the two girls. Katara and Suki arrived just when they were about to start without them.

“We’re sorry! We’re here! Katara was just too busy being pretty," Suki playfully said as the two of them sat down.

The rest of the group laughed at her remark and welcomed them to the table.

“Oh, come on Sugar Queen! You make me wait for something I can’t even appreciate? I’m hungry!” Toph would never stop calling her like that, wouldn’t she?

“Please Toph, it was like five minutes, you won’t starve,” Katara said this with a smile. The earthbender and her attitude had already grown on her.

“Okay, enough drama. Let’s begin before Toph eats all of us,” Zuko urged, always straight to the point.

Katara felt him looking towards her, as an intense glance took over his eyes. _What’s on his mind?_ she wondered.

They really hadn’t talked that much since she saw him reunited with Mai. He had just saved her life but, when she saw the two of them together, an invisible wall had started to rise between Zuko and her. Then the kiss with Aang happened and she had spent most of her spare time with him ever since.

But now, she could see a million questions in his golden eyes. Although she didn’t even have a clue of what the exact questions were, or why they seemed to be there. He had a way to make himself a tad harder to decipher than everyone else.

The meal went by joyfully. Even Ty Lee and Mai, who had joined the group so recently, already felt comfortable to be around. Actually, for Katara at least, Ty Lee was way easier to be around than Mai. She didn’t know exactly why, but Mai didn’t seem to fully trust her. She acted a little guarded around her and was always calling for Zuko’s attention, even with her usual disinterested attitude. Plus, Ty Lee had quickly become friends with Suki, this making her feel closer to the girl.

“Katara, ready to go? Katara?” The girl hadn’t realized Aang was talking to her. She was just finishing her dessert and had gotten a little too caught up in her thoughts. Now everyone was looking at her.

Aang was smiling from ear to ear, meanwhile, Sokka had a surprisingly big brother expression on his face.

“Ready for what, sist?” her brother asked.

“We are going to the theater to see the new play!” Aang excitingly explained.

“Yeah, we thought it would help us get in the mood for the weekend. Aang said it was supposedly hilarious.” Katara was actually looking forward to a good laugh.

“And you didn’t invite us? Oh, I see Katara, how nice of you to still love your brother so much”. Sokka was half-serious, half-joking. But all smiles.

“Maybe we could all go! It would be fun,” Ty Lee cheerfully proposed.

“Oh great, another play I won’t be able to see. What a night,” Toph complained.

“Umm, no, I don’t think so. It’s the opening night, there won’t be any tickets left.” Aang looked at Katara while saying this. A strain of worry was detectable in his eyes.

It was clear he wanted to spend some time alone with her. She stayed quiet, not entirely sure of what to say.

“Well, I think they would have some seats available for the Fire Lord and his friends, right?” Mai intervened.

Zuko nodded in approval. The weird look in his eyes was back, and he directed his pretty intense glance straight to Katara.

“Can’t you guys see they kinda don’t want us to go? I bet it will be boring anyways.” Toph really didn’t like plays. Well, no one could blame her. Specially Katara for cutting off the discussion.

“Exactly, you wouldn’t like it. Well, we gotta go. See you!”. Aang practically jumped off his seat, grabbed Katara by the hand and started walking away with her.  
No one had much time to react, and the group simply let them do their thing. 

“Have a good time!” Suki shouted.

Katara turned back to wave at her friend, only to find she was already talking to Sokka and the rest of the girls. Zuko didn't seem to be paying attention to whatever she was saying. He was still looking at her. They locked eyes for a second and a shadow crossed his face. It lasted only a heartbeat though, as he quickly pretended to be fascinated by the conversation.  


What did that even mean? She wished she could talk to him about it, but she felt like she might be exaggerating. After all, why would Zuko be weird about her going out alone with Aang? He could always go with Mai, right?

Katara shook her head and decided to focus on enjoying her night with Aang. She would figure out Zuko later. She knew she couldn’t forget about it even if she wanted to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this first chapter! It’s pretty short and sweet but the upcoming ones will get lengthier. Thank you for reading! <3
> 
> By the way, if you’d like, you can come say hi on Tumblr! I’m always down to chat! You’ll find me at @sol-tinyrayofsun there!


	2. Nighttime

After Aang and Katara left dinner early to go to the play, everyone else had stayed up by the fireplace, chatting lively about their day. 

Zuko felt almost out of place. He wasn’t used to not hearing Katara’s motherly remarks about how immature Sokka had been during the last council meeting or Aang’s scandalous laugh.

It was actually the first time the group wasn’t complete during those nighttime laughs. After a week of them, he had become used to the moments they all spent together and it had taken him by surprise to actually miss the usual dynamic so much. He was a little annoyed at Katara and Aang for ditching them to probably go make out in a dark theater.

_How childish of them,_ he thought. _How cliché._ He caught himself imagining what they were doing and how good of a time they were having...

“Earth to Fire Lord Sparky... Are you listening to us?” Toph’s voice interrupted his train of thoughts.

“Sure sure, I’m here.” Zuko urged himself to stop being so weird about Aang and Katara’s... Date? He didn’t even know. He had to stay focused. 

“Toph said we should all go to the river tomorrow and relax a little.” Mai’s eyes felt like daggers sinking down on Zuko’s eyes, checking in with him, wondering where his mind was. He put his arm around her shoulder in a reassuring way. 

“Eh, sounds good. I have work to do in the morning, but we could go for lunch.” Zuko had already started to mentally organize his day. 

“Work on a Saturday? Zuko, you _have_ to learn to take a break,” Sokka said with a laugh. 

“Alright, alright. Do you want to go to the river tomorrow or not?” he asked them. 

They all crossed stares and silently approved of the plan. 

“I think a picnic will be fun!” Ty Lee seemed already excited. 

“I just want to walk on some bare, green land already,” Toph grinned. 

“Then it’s settled, I’ll let my guards know so they can prepare everything.” 

“Guards? Oh right, I guess we are important now.” Sokka wasn’t used to all the Fire Nation formalities, Zuko thought. 

“Oh come on, we don’t need a babysitter.” Toph liked her freedom, that was for sure. 

“It’s not a babysitter, it’s a precaution. Zuko’s right, the war is too recent for now,” Suki intervened.

“Guys, it’s only gonna be a couple of men carrying our stuff and making sure no one crazy tries to kill us,” Mai explained.

“Yeah, there’s really no need to make a big deal out of it.” Zuko was glad that everyone seemed to accept it. 

“We should let Aang and Katara know when they get back,” Sokka remarked. 

“I want to sleep well tonight so don’t count with me for that,” Ty Lee rushed to excuse herself. 

“Well, it’s not like the play is gonna end at sunrise, is it?” Toph asked, looking at Suki. 

“Hey, I don’t know. Katara didn’t tell me,” she answered.

“Well, I guess we could tell them at breakfast tomorrow. It’s no big deal,” Sokka said. 

“See? Easier. Now, Toph, why don’t you keep telling me about your fights as the Blind Bandit?” Ty Lee seemed certainly glad to be able to sleep and rapidly changed the subject. 

The conversation carried on as before, with the plan settled for the next day at the river. 

It was later that night. Everyone except for Zuko had already gone to bed. He had just finished looking through some papers so he could leave work earlier the next day. He walked across the palace halls, went through the courtyard, stared at a turtleduck swimming at the pond, and headed towards his room. 

Then, he saw them. Katara and Aang, talking at the entrance of her room. Zuko kept quiet, behind the wall. For some reason, he couldn’t help the temptation to hear what they were saying. 

“That play was surprisingly hilarious,” Katara said, smiling. 

“I know, right? So, I was hoping maybe we could do this more often...” Aang’s words were careful as if he was scared she would run away at any given moment. 

The two of them were pretty close to each other, and Zuko didn't fail to notice this.

“Go to the theater? Sure, I just hope they’ll update the plays more often then. Maybe everyone could join us next time.” She seemed oblivious to what Aang was trying to say. 

“I meant doing this... Spending time just the two of us,” Aang blurted out, looking a little flustered.

“Oh, right. Yeah, why not? I had fun.” Katara seemed unsure, almost uncomfortable. She wasn’t usually like that around Aang.

“Well, anyways. I should let you sleep now. It’s pretty late.” He didn’t seem to notice her doubt. 

“Yes, of course. Goodnight, Aang.” Katara looked... Relieved? Zuko couldn’t quite figure out her expression. 

And then, Aang moved forward and kissed her. It was a brief kiss, almost timid. Katara stood still at first but then she corresponded it. Still, something seemed off about it, Zuko thought. He had seen them kiss on a couple of other occasions, but this time it looked especially awkward. Katara seemed almost distracted. The Fire Lord felt like an intruder, but he still kept staring at them. 

_Why do I care? I don’t, it would just be awkward to come out of nowhere now._ Zuko wished he wasn’t there. It didn’t last long though. Katara pulled apart first.

“Goodnight, see you at breakfast.” Aang started to walk away in Zuko’s direction and almost saw him hiding behind the wall. Luckily for him, he was too distracted to notice. The smile was bright on his face when he thought Katara wasn’t looking. She wasn’t anyways, as she already had quickly gotten into her room. 

Zuko had to walk in front of Katara’s door to get to his room, at the very end of the large corridor. He waited a few minutes and tried to be as quiet as possible, to avoid being noticed. Just as he thought he had gotten away with it, Katara’s door opened. 

“Aang is that yo- Zuko? What are you doing here? Spirits, you scared me!” She looked certainly surprised to see him there. 

“I’m sorry! I was just heading to bed.” Zuko felt like a child caught eating cookies right before dinner. “Sorry not to be who you were hoping for,” he added, with a sarcastic half-smile.

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous! Wait, how long have you been here?” Katara blushed as she spoke those words. 

“Oh, you know. Long enough.” His eyes were glowing with more than just sarcasm. 

“Long enough for what, _Zuko_? Don’t be silly.” She sounded annoyed. He had definitely made her feel exposed. 

“To admire your little nighttime romance. I didn’t know Aang was such a romantic.” Zuko kept pushing it. 

“Oh, Spirits. Can you stop? You of all people.” Katara rolled her eyes. 

“Calm down, Katara. I was just fooling around.” He was being honest, it hadn’t been his intention to upset her. 

He took a step forward. It was the first time the two of them were completely alone in days. They stared at each other for what felt like ages. Almost as if they were deciding how to feel, how to act. There seemed to be a lot of unsaid things in that look. Maybe even more that they knew. 

“Me of all people? What?” Zuko broke the spell. His voice was calm, despite how nervous he was actually starting to feel. 

“You know what I meant, with Mai. She’s always all over you,” Katara said this while looking at the floor, hiding her eyes from his intense stare. 

“All over me? Well, I didn’t know it was so noticeable.” Zuko felt, once again, caught. Why did he care if Katara saw him with Mai? 

“ _I notice_ ,” she whispered. 

They remained silent. Neither knew what else to say. Both could feel the unspoken weight of those simple words. 

“Anyways, I should let you know that we are going to the river tomorrow. For lunch. So, don’t oversleep, please. I wouldn’t want to have to come barge on your door and scare you to death again...” His voice was playful once again. Katara smiled when she heard him say this. 

“To the river? Nevermind, sounds like a good plan. I’ll be ready. But, I’ll see you at breakfast, right?” His face softened when she asked. 

“For sure, breakfast. Don’t be late.” 

“I won’t. Goodnight, Zuko,” she said with a smile, slowly closing her door. 

“Goodnight, Katara,” he answered.

Zuko felt the warmth of those words keeping him company as he walked all the way to his room. And while he was getting ready for bed. He felt it while falling asleep, too. He couldn’t understand why they had stuck with him so much but didn’t try to fight it. He liked the feeling. 

_“Goodnight, Katara.”_

He was soon out like a light. 


	3. By The River

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome!  
> So, this one is going to be once again from Zuko’s perspective. I really wanted to narrate these events from his point of view.  
> But don’t worry, the next one is from Katara’s side.  
> I hope you enjoy it!

The sun had just started crippling throughout the window, it was an early morning. Zuko began to slowly open his eyes. He was tired, maybe a little more than usual. He wasn’t used to this lack of energy at those hours, the sunshine had always been his companion. Sometimes even his only one. 

He sat down on the bed and started remembering the last night. Katara and Aang, kissing. The weirdness of it. She abruptly opening up the door and realizing he had seen it all. Their conversation. The way she looked at him as if she was trying to figure something out, to figure him out. What she had whispered. “ _I notice._ ” His soft “Goodnight, Katara”. 

Those words resonated inside of him like an echo. Why? He didn’t particularly know, or maybe he just didn’t want to. Sometimes an innocent deception seems a million times easier than facing an untold truth. Especially with so much going on with the world. 

He reminded himself he had to focus on his duties as Fire Lord, not some unknown feelings, those had to be put aside. If he wanted an unasked for distraction, he could always spend hours cracking up where his mother could be. Just the thought of it made him feel uneasy, anxious, eager for an answer. He was doing his best to stay focused on the bigger picture. 

Zuko got ready for breakfast. As usual, he was the first one to arrive at the table. He started going through some paperwork to pass the time. Maybe no one was going to join him so early, after all, it was a Saturday morning. What he really wasn’t expecting was to see Aang enter the room, yawning. 

“Hey, good morning.” Aang smiled and sat down in front of him. “How did you sleep?” 

“It was a decent sleep, the usual,” Zuko lied. It was way better than to admit the girl his friend was in love with had strangely invaded his thoughts all night. He felt like an intruder once again. “What about you?” He asked him.

“Well, I slept amazing. The play last night was absolutely hilarious, you and Mai should go watch it tonight.” He was happy, one could even tell by the way he poured his cup of tea. 

Zuko felt a sting on his chest. “Really, it was that good? What did you guys do after?” 

“After the play? Nothing really, we just talked about it and compared it to that crap we saw on Ember Island. Remember?” Aang laughed, that day felt like a lifetime ago. Zuko couldn’t help but remember how awfully close to the truth some of the elements of that play were. 

“I will never forget it, _miss_ Avatar”. He couldn’t let the opportunity to bug Aang go. 

“Haha, very funny, my dear honor obsessed friend.” Now they were even. 

Zuko gifted him with a light smile. “By the way, we are going to the river for lunch today. Toph’s idea.” 

“Finally some nature trip with all of us together, we all could use a break. Appa will love the fresh air.” Aang seemed instantly on board with the plan.

“Eh, I was thinking we could all just go on one of the big carriages, it’s easier,” he explained.

“ No way! Appa has to come, you know he doesn’t like to stay at one place for too long.” Aang was right. 

“Sure, you can take Appa. But we won’t all fit on his back, we have food to carry and a couple of guards are coming too.” Zuko was also right. 

“No problem, Katara and I can ride Appa. She loves it up there.” The Avatar was quick to decide that. 

“Whatever you like best, just don’t be late.” For some reason, Zuko didn’t love the idea. But there was nothing he could do against it. After all, he wasn’t the one practically dating the girl he almost died for. Aang was. 

A bit past noon, everyone was already at the river, except for Katara and Aang. 

_I told them not to be late. Damn, how hard is it to be on time?_ Zuko thought to himself. 

Everything was ready for a relaxing lunch and afternoon, but the group wasn’t complete. Sokka, Suki, and Ty Lee were swimming, clearly not that bothered by the delay. Toph was doing an enormous earth castle and deciding whether or not to get in there and take a nap. 

Mai was just laying down on Zuko’s lap, reading. He stared at her, his childhood crush, then his girlfriend, and after that his ex that pretty much resented him for leaving and now, this. Maybe Katara was right, maybe they were actually a couple again. They certainly looked like one. Were they actually dating? They hadn’t really talked about it. He remembered her coming to his coronation, ready to hug him, looking relieved. After that, they just kinda went with it. They were acting almost like they did when they thought the avatar was dead, when they were trying to be normal again. 

But nothing was the same anymore. Too much had happened since those days. Doubt had started to cripple into Zuko’s mind. He wasn’t the same person that he was when he and Mai dated. The weeks before Sozin’s comet arrived had changed everything. He remembered the look on Katara’s face after he took a bolt of lightning for her. The tears flooding through her cheeks, the desperation that tinted her eyes, her smile bright as the sun when she realized he was still alive. He could still feel the warmth of her hands on his chest. 

“They’re here, finally. Let’s eat.” Mai was talking to him. He snapped out of his thoughts, feeling guilty for the things he had on his mind. He had to stay focused. Mai offered him a hand and helped him get up. 

_Maybe this is exactly what I need. I shouldn’t be questioning everything right now, I should be happy, damn it. I have more urgent things to think about,_ Zuko thought while standing up. And then he saw them. 

Katara and Aang were just getting down of Appa, laughing. They seemed oblivious to the fact that they were late. 

“You guys are late. I thought we had an agreement. We were all waiting for you.” Zuko couldn’t hide the annoyed tone of his voice. 

His gaze was directed towards Katara. She looked away.

“Sorry, sorry, Appa wanted to fly for a little longer. We were just having a good time,” Aang apologized.

“Well, next time try to warn us so we can start eating without you.” Sokka said. 

“Yeah, yeah, let’s just eat already.” Toph rushed everyone. 

Zuko sighed but went with it. He was hungry too, being mad could wait.

They were all in a better mood after the meal and decided to play King of the Hill. The rules were simple, they would divide into two teams. One team would include a monarch and its supporters, the other team would consist of the opposition. Those opposed to the king or queen would try to take the throne, which would be a designated place. The other team fights back and defends the throne. Bending, fans and boomerangs are allowed with caution, of course. The game ends when the monarch is overtaken or the opposition surrenders. 

“I wanna be the queen! Please, please, please,” Toph started shouting. 

“Not fair Toph, I wanted to be the king,” Sokka complained.

“She asked first,” Ty Lee pointed out.

“Sorry, too late, I already called it. Maybe next time, Sokka,” Toph laughed, triumphantly. 

“Okey, then I wanna be the leader of the opposition. I’ll beat you, my majesty.” Sokka stuck his tongue out to her. Toph rolled her eyes. 

“Sparky, you are on my team. Suki, you too girl, your boyfriend will not resist you,” Toph demanded.

“Hey! Okey, I want the avatar then. And my sister,” Sokka responded.

“I’ll go with you, Toph.” Mai said, although she didn’t looked thrilled by the idea of playing.

“And that leaves Ty Lee and her weird bend-canceling skills to me. I’ll crush you.” Sokka started laughing. 

“Please, let’s try to not hospitalize any of us today. I don’t want to have to use my healing abilities,” Katara pleaded, already worried about a possible accident. 

“Scared of losing already?” Zuko stared intensely at her, calling for her attention.

“Not even a bit, your highness.” She stared right back at him, a sarcastic tone tinted her voice. 

“Let’s begin then, shall we?” he proclaimed. 

A small glade in the middle of the forest by the river would be the area for the queen. Toph literally made herself a throne and sat there, ready to defend it at all costs. Zuko was assigned to guard the right side of the forest closest to the river, Suki the left one, and Mai would stay in the middle. No team knew what formation the other one had chosen. When they all counted down to three, the game begun. 

Zuko had no idea to anticipate who was coming, so he tried to keep himself aware of his surroundings. He had spent so much time in the run that now he could detect any tiny noise, every footstep on the ground and any movement made near him. He waited for what felt like ages, wondering how the rest of his team was doing. The first thing he heard was her breath. He could distinguish that breathing anywhere. It was Katara, trying to go unnoticed, probably about to strike him by surprise. 

“I can hear you, you know?” Zuko said calmly. But there was no response. He could feel her getting closer. 

“Come on now, I know it’s you.” He felt tempted to make the first move but decided to wait. 

Suddenly, an ice blast froze his feet together. He quickly melted it down and took a step in the direction it had come from. 

“This would be way more interesting if you would just come here to fight me.” He was getting impatient.

“Oh, and spoil the fun if doing this? No, thanks.” Katara dumped a wave of water over him. _Of course, they were gonna send her where she could splash people,_ Zuko thought, shivering. 

“Very mature of you, Katara, very mature.” He laughed and prepared a small flame on his hand. He was ready.

She tried to freeze him completely, but he was fast enough to stop it and turned back immediately. Katara was in front of him, her whole body ready to strike when she thought he would be frozen.

Zuko smiled. “Nice to finally see you.”

Katara chuckled. “I underestimated you. It’s a shame, it would have been fun to beat you that quickly.” 

Zuko grinned. “Quickly? How funny of you to mention it considering how late you were today. Having a little romantic time in the heights?” He was teasing her. Katara threw ice at him, which he graciously melted down with small flames. 

“What do _you_ care?” She started moving more aggressively, the water coming to her from the river, and immediately being redirected to Zuko. He had put up a cautious shield of fire before him, making her attempts to knock him down unsuccessful. 

“For the record, you are not the only one who notices stuff around here. _I notice too._ I’m not that naive, so you and Aang can save the excuses for your tardiness with me.” Zuko directed a fire whip towards her, though being careful not to hurt her. 

Katara froze the entire flame. “Aang was telling the truth! Appa wanted to fly for longer. We didn’t know it was that late.” 

Zuko, still behind the shield, took a few steps forward. He was closer to her now.

“Well, next time don’t even bother showing up then. If our company is so under-appreciated.” His words were hurtful, and he was aware of it. Katara tried to look directly at him, but his eyes were blurry behind the flames. 

“Agh, cut it off! What’s up with you today? I never said I didn’t appreciate you or the others.” She tried to break through the fire shield, moving towards Zuko.

“You don’t need to say it in order to make it obvious to me.” Zuko felt tempted to step away from her. He didn’t even know what he was saying at this point. He knew that Katara cared for him but he couldn’t stop pushing. 

“Okay, if I don’t care about you at all, I guess I should just stop being careful and beat you already. Maybe then, when you lose, you’ll be able to think straight and drop the crazy attitude.” She took one last step and got close to him, perhaps a little too close considering they were supposedly rivals on the game. 

He let the shield fall down, his golden eyes glowing from the heat. He was allowing her to unleash her frustration at him.

“Come on, hit me with all you have. Just try not to kill me, that would really be a hassle.” He stared at her, his voice shaking. She looked surprised at his behavior. They both stood still. Neither wanted to make the first move. 

“Trust me, I wouldn’t.” Katara directed a water whip to his toes, making Zuko loose balance. “If I wanted to, I could have done it already.” 

Zuko threw a controlled flame at her. “Oh, really? Are you threatening me now? I thought we had left that in the past a long time ago.” Katara managed to evade it. She seemed intimidated by the accuracy of what he was saying. They were way past that already, but now their relationship seemed to have new challenges to face. 

“We did, Zuko. Remember how I pretty much saved your life?” She froze his legs together with ice. He didn’t even try to melt it down. 

“Remember how I did it first?” He didn’t move, he just stood there, with his legs frozen and smiling sarcastically at her. 

She directed one final water whip at his chest, throwing all that was left of his balance away. He didn’t really try to fight it and fell to the ground. He looked directly at her, in a more challenging way. For some strange reason, he felt at ease. 

Katara paused her attack to kneel down onto him, looking straight into his eyes. “And by doing so you changed my life, Zuko. I’ll never forget what you did for me.” Her words sent shivers down his spine. Did she really mean that? Weren’t they supposed to be competing to win the game? Why did it all feel so serious? He had to stay focused.

A confession escaped his mouth. “Katara, that is what we do. What I’ll always do. _We save_ _each other_.”

She looked at him as if she was seeing him for the first time in years. Her eyes searching for the true meaning behind those words. Zuko had almost regretted saying them, but then realized she wasn’t mad or uncomfortable. She just looked surprised. The game was over for them, maybe it had never even existed beyond their own internal battles. They were past the rivalry and the mistrust of the old days. 

The risk they took for each other on the last day of the war had been the ultimate proof of how much their relationship had evolved. Their bond was only getting stronger. The connection between them had grown so much since they first met and it had completely electrified them the day Zuko had made the ultimate sacrifice for Katara. Once, they were enemies; now, they were equals, partners, two beings that shared more than they ever thought possible. They had saved each other. 

They stayed silent for what felt like ages. Neither of them dared to move or to even make a sound. There was beauty in their confusion. 

Suddenly, Mai came out from within the woods, looking bored. She laid onto one of the trees nearby and stared at them. The moment Zuko noticed her standing there, he abruptly stood up and moved away from Katara. His face was difficult to decipher now, his eyes seemed colder. He couldn’t help but feel caught once again. He couldn’t keep allowing his emotions to distract him. 

Mai looked at them as if they were a pair of newborns. “What the hell are you doing? We are about to win, Zuko! Go help Suki and Toph so I can take a nap already.” 


	4. Focus

Katara observed as Zuko moved apart from her. She couldn’t help but feel hurt by the way he had stepped away so quickly. The electric moment between them had come and go. 

_Right, the game._ She remember she was supposed to be helping her team.

Mai’s words shook her like a hurricane. _They’re winning, really? Spirits,_ she thought and looked at the two of them for a moment, wondering what her next move should be. Her eyes locked with Zuko’s for a second, like begging for an answer to a question she didn’t even recognize. Then, she decided to run. Alone.

She formed a massive wave of water and placed it between her and the other two players, frozen. She started to run towards the glade where she knew Toph would be. 

She merely looked back but she could still hear Mai saying “Really? This is what I get for taking the bother to come look for you two?” 

Although Katara didn’t get to hear Zuko’s answer, as she quickly banished into the forest, making sure not to be followed. 

When she got to the glade, Sokka was already sitting down on the throne. 

“Hey sist! We won!” Sokka looked so happy it was almost funny, considering it was just a game. 

“Thanks Sugar Queen for distracting two of my allies and making me loose. So kind of you,” Toph grunted, sitting down on the grass with her arms crossed and an annoyed look on her face. 

“It was a great strategy Katara, well done.” Aang smiled at her while saying this, oblivious to the fact that her actions hadn’t been planned at all. 

“Oh, thanks, it really wasn’t that big of a deal. I’m glad we won.” Katara smiled back at them. 

Suddenly, Zuko barged into the glade. “I’m here, I’m here! Did we win already?” he asked, catching his breath. 

“Win? Sorry, Sparky, we didn’t. We almost got them, though,” Toph answered him, looking tired.

“But Mai said...” Zuko looked confused. 

“Well but you didn’t. Please clap for me, King Sokka of the boomerangs,” Sokka laughed. 

Katara laughed with him and clapped a little alongside Aang and Ty Lee. 

“Hey, where is Mai by the way?” Suki looked at Zuko. 

“She went back to the shore to take a nap, she probably slept little last night, I don’t know,” he answered her. 

“Oh, okay. At least we all had fun today! I was already drowning by all the training of the week,” Ty Lee brightly said and then proceed to go and try to cheer Toph up. 

“We should head back, it’s getting late,” Zuko said, looking worn out. 

“Sure, Appa is probably hungry already,” Aang agreed. 

Soon enough, they all started making their way back to the shore. 

The group was about to get there. Katara was calmly walking next to the others, listening to the anecdotes of the game. She thought about how she basically didn’t have any big anecdote about it. Well, not any that she would choose to share with all her friends anyways. 

What had happened with Zuko in the woods had been, for the lack of a better word, odd. She wasn’t used to seeing him getting mad at her, even if this time it was for a pretty foolish reason. She was usually the one angry or guarded at him, or at least that was the way it used to be in the past. Since she definitively forgave Zuko weeks ago, they hadn’t really disagreed about anything major. They trusted each other now, especially after the events of the day of Sozin’s comet. That’s why she had gotten so frustrated at him earlier, she couldn’t understand why he was so upset about her and Aang’s tardiness. 

But that was already sorted out, kind of. It wouldn’t make sense to hold a grudge for something so insignificant. There was no resentment for the other. Just, at least for Katara and as far she knew, the underlying feeling that something else was there, waiting to blow off. 

Despite that lurking sensation, they were probably going to be just fine. They didn’t specifically say it but their last conversation spoke for itself. “ _We save each other.”_ It was the truth, and they both knew it. Now they just had to be able to process it. 

Mai was already expecting them when they got to the shore. 

“I was waiting for you all! Zuko, the guards say they have news for you,” she said. 

“News? Is everything okay?” he asked, concerned. 

“Well, I don’t know. You should go talk to them,” she answered him, looking alarmed. 

And so he did, he quickly approached his guards and asked them. Katara couldn’t hear what they were saying, but she could tell it wasn’t good news. Zuko looked preoccupied and she felt the need to go help him. She could only hope it wasn’t anything too serious, just when things were starting to feel normal again. 

After a while, Zuko went up to them and proceeded to tell them the news. 

“So, how bad is it?” Aang asked him. 

“Please tell us it is not as crappy as it seems,” Toph pleaded. 

“Come on, Zuko. Tell us,” Suki prompted him.

“So, it’s not good news. But it’s not the end of the world either.” Zuko made a pause after saying that. 

“What is it then?” Sokka seemed already anxious to know. 

“There’s been trouble at Fire Fountain City. Some opponents of the peace burned down the whole post office. Luckily they were stopped by my officials before burning anything else,” Zuko started to explain. 

“Why would they do that?” Ty Lee asked. 

“Apparently a small rebel group tried to take over the city. I mean, that town has been in charge of industrial machinery for the war for many years. They didn’t agree with my decision of stopping the very one thing that gave them so much profit. I guess some people just can’t accept change,” Zuko said with a sigh. 

“Were... Were they any casualties?” Katara inquired, carefully.

Zuko’s eyes showed great despair. “No, not for now. Five people are being taken care of at the local hospital, the doctors hope for their recovery.” 

Katara tried to look at him, but he seemed kind of zoned out. 

“What are you going to do with the rebels?” Mai wondered. 

“Probably throw them in a cell at the Boiling Rock, I don’t know yet. I have to take care of the whole situation,” Zuko responded. His voice sounded more and more stressed out. 

“Hey, if you need our help, for anything, count with us,” Aang told him. 

“Thanks, really. Now, I think we should get back. I’ll have to deal with this as soon as possible,” Zuko said this and started walking towards the carriage.

Anyone who knew Zuko well enough could tell that he was suffering for his people. Fire Nation Citizens were _his_ responsibility now and he had to protect them. Katara felt especially bad for him, she wanted to help, she wanted to be able to solve the problem. 

She started thinking about possible ways she could collaborate with the situation on her way back to the palace. Maybe she could talk to Zuko and volunteer to do some of the work, whatever that could be. He couldn’t do it all on his own, he didn’t need to. After all, she was a war hero too, she had to do her part. 

Katara started to realize how real everything felt, suddenly. They had won the war, but there was still more work to do other than having dull council meetings. They all needed to be focused on restoring balance to the world and in finding their own balance too, between intending to calm down and managing their new responsibilities. 

It was not going to be easy, but that balance would be worth it for all of them. _She_ should be more focused, more helpful, not extremely distracted with Aang or Zuko or whoever on her head. At least for a while, she decided to try harder to get her mind concentrated on the bigger picture. She just hoped to be able to shake those unexpected feelings off.


	5. Seriousness

It was later that Saturday night. Everyone was already back at the Royal Palace. The mood had clearly gone down by dinner because of the Fire Fountain City news. Zuko hadn’t even been able to eat with the others. He had to go into a meeting with his advisors the minute he was back at the palace. 

Luckily, the meeting had gone well and the situation at the city was under control, but he still felt uneasy. He couldn’t help but think about how much damage his father had done. Well, actually, his sister too. He hadn’t visited either of them since before leaving for Ba Sing Se. It felt like it was ages ago, maybe a new visit was due soon. He wasn’t super excited about facing them though, as it was a bit too painful considering the situation.

He remembered the last time he saw his father. 

“Where is my mother?” he had asked him. Ozai wasn’t too eager to respond, of course. He had remained completely silent, hate showing through his eyes. Zuko didn’t expect him to handle out that information so quickly, so he stayed calm. 

After a while, he ended up leaving, not before promising to come back. 

“Next time, you better tell me. I’m not that helpless kid you scarred anymore. Now I’m the Fire Lord, and you should watch out for him.” Then, he left, without looking back. He was going to figure out a way to make his father talk. 

He never stopped wondering where his mother was. Sometimes, he felt too tempted to drop everything to go find her, but he knew he had to be patient. He had to take things step by step and, for now, his people were the priority. He couldn’t forget about finding his mom even if he wanted too. He knew that rather sooner than later he would be reunited with her. He was going to find her, regardless of whatever it may take. 

The Fire Fountain City incident made him realize that there was a lot of work left to be done, a lot of peace and order to reinstall. He was determined to succeed. In all of it. 

It was almost midnight. Zuko was still working in his room. 

He had seen his advisors earlier and they had reassured him that everything was under control. He had a hard time trusting them, as he was used to having to do everything by himself but knew things were different now. He had already given out the order to arrest the renegades and immediately start the rebuilding of the Post office at the City. The local hospital had sent him a messenger hawk with the information that the patients were well and stable.

The whole thing could have definitely been worse. It had been a long day and Zuko was almost falling asleep over his desk filled with letters and paperwork.

Unexpectedly, he heard a knock on the door. “Come in.” He said, wondering who could be at those hours. 

Katara entered the room. “Hey, how are you doing?” 

Zuko immediately started wondering why she was there. 

“Good, about to be finished with work for tonight.” He looked at her intrigued, expecting her to explain. 

“Great, that’s... great. I was hoping to talk to you about something.” She seemed a tad nervous. 

“Is everything okay? Do you need anything?” Zuko felt his heart rate going up. 

“No! I mean, yes!” Her voice was rushed. “Everything is fine, Zuko, thanks. I just wanted to tell you an idea that I have to help with the Fire Fountain City situation.” 

“Oh, right. Sure, go ahead, sit.” He pointed towards the empty chair next to his desk.

Katara proceed to sit there and took a breath before speaking. 

“So, I think I should go to Fire Fountain City. I could go to the hospital and heal the wounded with my bending. That way, we don’t risk them getting worse or dying. I wanna help, please.” She had talked extremely fast, determination could be heard in her voice. 

“Katara, I don’t really think it’s-“ Zuko was rapidly interrupted by her.

“No, listen up! I can help, I can heal those people. Why wouldn’t you let me go? I’ve done far more dangerous things than going to some city.” She sounded almost desperate. Her nurturing nature was showing. 

“Yes, I understand. But-.” He was cut short once again.

“No, no buts! I want to be able to do my part, you can’t do it all alone. You don’t have to do that,” she pleaded.

“Katara, can you please let me finish?” Zuko felt frustrated. 

Katara stared intensely at him. She clearly wanted to keep talking, but chose to stay silent.

“The citizens are fine. I got the news earlier, they are practically fully recovered. That’s what I tried to tell you, it’s not necessary for you or me to go, they are not at any risk.” His words were slow, soft. He was trying to calm her down.

“What?” Her tone was less rushed now. 

“That’s pretty much it. The situation is under control. There’s really no need for us to be there at this point.”

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Katara looked relieved. 

“I didn’t know you were still awake, or that you wanted to know more so badly.” 

He realized something: Katara wanted to be more involved. After all, she usually felt the need to help in every situation. 

“I’ve been thinking about it. I want to do something, I want to help people, help you, help the world evolve.” She sounded really passionate about it.

“Okay, I don’t see any problem with that. I think it’s very noble of you.” Zuko thought about how Katara was always trying to do her best for everyone, even people she didn’t know or liked. 

He remembered how she was the first person to trust him out of Team Avatar, way back at Ba Sing Se. She had believed in him the same way he now fully believed in her. 

“Although, you already help out with all the war hero duties and the councils,” Zuko added. 

“Yes, I know. But I feel like I can do more,” Katara answered him. 

Zuko smiled at her, that bright smile that wasn’t so usual for him to show. A plan crossed his mind. 

“I think I have an idea. Why don’t you help at the Royal Medical Center?” His voice showed excitement. 

“The Medical Center?” She seemed to be processing the idea. 

“Yes, it’s just outside the gates of the palace. It shouldn’t be too much of a hassle for you to go there.” He knew she would be safe, otherwise, he wouldn’t even consider it. 

“But, would they want me there?” She sounded hesitant.

“Why wouldn’t they? You are a healer, Katara. What you can do is already absolutely extraordinary and you can learn how to do even more. You could help hundreds of people.” His voice was kind. He had faith in her. 

“I think I could do it. But, I don’t want it to interfere with my other responsibilities.” She seemed to be getting excited as well. 

“We can arrange that. You could go to the Healing Wing in the afternoon and help me and the others with the more diplomatic issues during the mornings. Of course, you would only go there if you feel up for it,” Zuko said. 

“That actually sounds great. I feel like I could do a lot of good healing others.” Katara was brightly smiling now.

“I’m glad you are happy with the idea. I’ll introduce you to everyone at the Medical Center on Monday. The Fire Nation would be lost without you.” Zuko felt it was all starting to fall into place. They could all focus on bringing balance to the world again if they did their part.

Katara laughed. “Don’t be so dramatic, Fire Lord. After all, you are the essential one here. Anyways, I really feel like this is a step in the right direction.” Her voice sparked with joy. 

“It is, just wait until everyone else knows about it at breakfast tomorrow. You’ll be the golden example of hard work. They’ll all want to do more to catch up.” Zuko laughed too, he was hopeful for his future along with this group that had become like a family. He was hopeful for his future alongside her, the girl that always wanted to be involved.

“Oh, we are gonna brag about this? I have to admit that it would be kinda fun.” Katara’s eyes sparkled in contrast to the red hues of paint of the walls. 

“I don’t know, we could.” Zuko gave her a mischievous smile and then paused for a second “I just hope we can all find our place in this new world.” His tone acquired more seriousness now. 

“We just have to give it time. I think we are doing pretty well so far.” Her voice was soothing.

“I know.” Zuko thought about his father, in prison, his sister, locked up and going insane, his mother, lost. “I guess it’s just... I wanna make things right.” He sighed, helpless to his thoughts.

“And you will, Zuko. We all know you will, we’ll all help you. All of us are in this together. You know I’ll have your back no matter what. I believe in you” She was clearly being honest. 

Zuko smiled softly looking into her blue eyes. He felt hope crawling back into his mind. Her mere presence had a way of calming him down. 

“Thank you, Katara.” He looked at her with a certain admiration in his eyes, that girl was stronger than most of the people he knew. She never ceased to surprise him, in the best way possible. 

“I think I’m the one who should be thanking you.” She sounded dead serious. Then, she paused and gave Zuko a sarcastic smile. “You saved me first, remember?”

“Oh, I remember. I even have a scar on my chest to prove it in case anyone forgets.” He laughed. “But there’s really no need for that. We’re completely even.” His glance showed how much he meant those words. 

Katara didn’t seem to know what to respond. She just smiled and stayed quiet. Her eyes were locked on his. Zuko didn’t add anything either. They simply enjoyed the peacefulness of the night together, in silence. 

“So, I think I should get going. Today was a long day, we both could use a good rest,” Katara slowly said after a while. Zuko sensed no rush or awkwardness in her tone, just some actual fatigue. 

“Definitely, I feel like I've been awake for weeks. I’ll see you at breakfast tomorrow?” he asked.

“Yes, and I promise I won’t be late this time.” She laughed while saying this. 

“Oh, you better be, or else I’ll get you fired from your new job before you even get a chance to start.” He was clearly joking. 

She chuckled. “Haha, not funny Zuko. You wouldn’t dare.” 

“Try me,” he said, playfully.

“No, thanks, I won’t risk it.” Katara got up and looked directly into his eyes. “But, really, thank you for doing this.” 

“You have nothing to thank me for.” He walked her to the door. “I told you, this is what we do. Plus, you can always repay me with uplifting conversations like tonight.” 

He smiled at her, wishing that was enough to express how much he actually appreciated her company, how much he cared _for her_. 

“Anytime, Fire Lord. Goodnight, see you at breakfast.” She walked out of the room and gave him one last bright smile before heading to her own chamber. 

“Goodnight, Katara,” Zuko said while he watched her walk away. 

Despite the stress caused by the incident at Fire Fountain City, he had a feeling he was about to sleep just fine. 

The next morning. Zuko arrived at breakfast a little earlier than he usually would on a Sunday. 

He was surprised to find all of his friends already waiting for him. They all welcomed him warmly. He smiled thinking how lucky he was to have these people on his life, despite any conflicts of the past or mixed emotions of the present. _It’s like Katara said, if we stick together it’ll all be just fine,_ he thought, sitting down. 

“Hey, hotman!” Aang welcomed him. “How are you doing? How’s the situation at Fire Fountain?”

“Good morning everyone, I’m good, don’t worry. The situation is already under control. It was a good scare but it has already passed. We are going to implement new measures to be sure this doesn’t happen again. By the way, you all have to attend a council tomorrow about this.” Zuko smiled at the group. He was glad to know they cared about him and his nation. 

“So it’s all good now?” Mai observed him attentively. She probably didn’t like him disappearing the night before.

“All good, thanks. Sorry for missing dinner yesterday,” he apologized. 

“Oh don’t worry about it Sparky, we had more food for us,” Toph joked.

“Seriously buddy, it’s no biggie. We were just worried about you,” Sokka said. 

“Yeah, Sokka couldn’t stop crying all night long because of how much he missed you.” Suki teased him. 

“That’s right! I heard Sokka too,” Ty Lee followed along. 

“Same here, couldn’t sleep at all,” Aang carried on the joke. 

“Oh, Sokka, I am so proud of my sentimental big brother.” Katara laughed and everyone followed her. It was a Sunday morning, after all, some relaxing was needed. 

“So, Katara." Zuko looked at her with a smile. ¨Why don’t you tell them about your new job, huh?” He gently invited her to share the news.

“You are getting a job on top of all the save the world stuff we already have to do? Why?” Toph asked, surprised.

“I just feel like there’s more I can help with around here,” Katara told her.

“Tell us! What job is it?” Aang urged.

“I’m going to help at the Medical Center in the afternoons,” she answered. 

“That’s great!” Sokka congratulated his sister.

“That sounds like something you would definitely do. I’m glad you are able to,” Suki added. 

“How did you get it? Did they come begging for you?” Ty Lee curiously asked. 

“I didn’t even knew you could be hired there this quickly,” Mai added.

“Actually, Zuko suggested it. After I almost made him go crazy trying to convince him to let me go heal the wounded of Fire Fountain City.” Katara looked at the Fire Lord with a thankful smile. 

“It was either to put her where she could discharge all that energy healing people or risk the wellbeing of us all. They’ll take her in a heartbeat if they know what’s best for them,” Zuko jokingly said. He was proud of Katara and he felt like this was a truly positive thing not only for her but for the group as a whole. 

“Good call pal, she’s dangerous,” Sokka laughed. 

“I think we all have a role to play onto helping the world heal. Turns out mine includes a lot of actual healing,” Katara said. There was a strain of seriousness behind her cheerful smile. 

“That’s right. We have to work together if we want to restore order. There’s a lot to be done,” Zuko said, nodding in approval to her words. He just hoped everyone else was on the same page as them. 

“I think we can make it guys. We are on a good path already, we’ve ended the war,” Aang reassured them. Everyone seemed to be on the same page after all. 

As breakfast carried on, Zuko observed everyone lively chatting up, reflecting on how far they all had come. How far he had come. It was astonishing how much things changed in a little over a year. He felt hopeful for the future, even with his family problems casting a shadow over their victory. He was going to find his mother, whatever the cost. 

Katara’s words resonated in his mind. He didn’t have to do it alone. They were all going to make things right. He would make sure of it. But first, he was going to enjoy a Sunday’s breakfast with his friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I love a good heart-to-heart between these two, so I had to include one on this update.   
> As always, thank you for reading! Remember feedback is always really appreciated! <3


	6. New Normal

Katara had been working at the healing wing of the Royal Medical Center for a couple of weeks now. 

She really enjoyed helping people and felt like she had a place there. Zuko’s idea worked perfectly, everyone instantly welcomed her and made her feel comfortable. He had made sure of it. Now, she was learning healing techniques from professional doctors, something that complimented her healing abilities perfectly. 

She liked the meetings and councils, too. There was something about working along with her friends that kept her extremely motivated, plus actively having a role in the making of big decisions suited her very well.

Her mornings consisted of breakfast with everyone and then all the meetings. Her afternoons were filled with learning how to help people. Her nights were spent with friends. It was a good routine. 

But Katara wasn’t the only one with a new routine. Like Zuko had said, her decision to help at the Medical Center sparked a desire for doing something relevant in the rest of the group. Zuko himself, of course, was already filled with Fire Lord duties and work, but the others didn’t take long in finding something to keep them busy as well.

Suki trained Ty Lee for the Kyoshi warriors, and the acrobat would usually instruct her in the art of chi blocking as well. Sokka regularly joined them so he could work on improving his sword-fighting skills. Aang focused on being the avatar and usually stayed with Zuko doing work in the early afternoons, but would go to explore the nearby places with Toph and Appa a couple of times a week. Mai divided her time between more diplomatic work with her family, which had recently relocated to Royal Caldera City, and training sessions with the others. Toph chose to spend the afternoons she wasn’t traveling with Aang practicing her bending and overseeing everyone’s activities, doing a bit of everything. 

Breakfast and dinners were the moments to be spent together, as well as some extra time on the weekends. 

This little “new normal” that the group had adopted felt nice. Katara grew especially fond of it, as she had been scared of losing her sense of purpose once the war was over. But now, she realized there were still a million things she could work on or help with. 

Katara crossed the main gates and walked across the courtyard with the intention of relaxing a bit before dinner. It was still early, as it had been a quiet afternoon at the Medical Center. 

Just as she started slowing down her pace to admire the gardens, she saw Aang and Toph sitting by the pond. 

“Katara, hey!!” Aang’s eyes lightened up when he saw her. Katara smiled at him.

Things between them were... Stable? One could say, as nothing had changed much. They were still in that stage where you don’t quite know what you are to each other. Although, Aang clearly wanted to be more. He was never shy about his feelings, always showing his excitement and attachment for her. 

_I guess we are together now,_ she thought in silence. She still hadn’t completely figured out her feelings. She had followed his current so far, careful not to hurt him or cause a fight.

Aang deserved a chance, right? After all, it wasn’t as she disliked his attention. She cared for him, of course, she even loved him, but maybe not in the same way he did. His feelings seemed intense and urgent. In contrast, she preferred to take time to process her emotions. This was the boy that had meant so much for her for more than a year now, the boy she had found in the ice, like a vision. Her 112 years old companion, that usually needed her care and affection.

_Affection_ , it felt like an appropriate way to describe their bond. The affection they felt for each other was unlimited, unbreakable. But maybe, from her side, simply not enough yet to commit to something more serious or definitive. 

Katara shook those thoughts out of her head and waved at Aang, changed directions and approached them.

“Hi! What are you two up to now?” she greeted them both and proceed to sit next to the pond. 

“I was just telling Toph about an idea for a project that I have” Aang excitedly explained. 

“He says he wants to teach kids how to _dance._ This guy is kinda crazy," Toph said. 

“Dance? Like when we threw that secret dance party?” Katara felt it was an strange but interesting idea.

“No, no, it’s more than just dancing. I’ve told you about this, the education system here is wrong in so many ways. We should change that! Kids can’t keep learning that the Air Nomads used an army to fight the Fire Nation, those are lies.” 

Aang sounded extremely passionate about it. Katara knew it was important for him to honor his people. 

“I have to admit you are right, the system could use some changes. Have you talked to Zuko about this?” She asked him. 

“I was hoping to tell him during dinner tonight, but I feel like I should have a more drawn out plan, maybe even a fully written proposal. You two could help me with it.” He looked at both girls, hopeful. 

“For sure, I’ll help you do it. Toph?” Katara asked. 

“Eeeeh, okay. You do realize I won’t be able to actually draw or write anything, right? I can only give you my bright ideas and clever remarks,” the girl answered, smiling.

“Great, you two are the best. Thanks, really.” His eyes showed how grateful he was. 

“Well, well, shall we go grab some paper and get to work, then?” Toph urged them.

“Actually, you guys mind if I join you later? I could really use a bath after today’s shift. It’s still early, we can meet at one of the council rooms as soon as I’m ready.” Katara excused herself. 

“Sure, no problem. Toph and I can get there first and do some brainstorming, right?” Aang looked at Toph. 

The girl just lifted her shoulders and said “Yes, why not?”

“So, I’ll see you two later. I won’t take long, I promise.” Katara started to get up. 

“It’s a date, then.” Aang awkwardly smiled when he realized what he had rushed to say. 

“Hey! I’m not invisible you know?” Toph grunted. 

“I know, I know, give me a break. I was just saying!” Aang’s cheeks turned bright red. 

Katara smiled at them. “Come on Toph, you’ll love having a date with me. See you both in a bit!” She said this with a sarcastic grin on her face and then continued to walk away. 

Later in the afternoon, Katara got out of her room, ready to go help with Aang’s project. 

She had found his idea very spot on. He was right, the education system of the Fire Nation was messed up. She remembered how kids were too scared of the adults to even dance. Luckily, Aang had managed to let some of them know what fun was. Their education seemed to be based on fear and, with the rise of a new era of peace, some changes were overdue. 

She headed to the spare council room, where Aang and Toph were supposed to be. 

_Whoa, it’s still pretty early,_ Katara thought as she passed by the courtyard all the way up to the main corridor. She turned right and walked slower to admire the way the sun lighted the garden up. When she looked back ahead, she caught a glimpse of someone by the edge of the railing overlooking the courtyard. She was only able to see the person’s back. 

As she got closer, she realized it was Zuko who was standing there. He appeared to be talking to someone. That someone was Mai. She didn’t feel like interrupting them, but also didn’t want to be rude and just walk straight past them.

Mai and her never really talked about anything emotionally meaningful as they were barely alone together. For her, she was mostly the newest member of the group and Zuko’s... Girlfriend? One could say, although she wasn’t really sure. It was quite frustrating for her to not be able to connect with Mai as she did with everyone else, but there wasn’t much she could actually do about it. 

When she was still a few feet away she saw Mai tenderly embracing Zuko. Katara felt a sting on her chest but quickly tried to shove it away. What did she care anyway? She could lovingly hug Aang anytime she wanted. She had someone too. Then why did she feel so bothered out of a sudden? 

_Spirits. Keep it together, Katara,_ she thought to herself as she got closer. She was certain Zuko hadn’t seen her yet, probably neither had Mai.

She watched them break their embrace. Mai reassuringly said something to him before starting to walk away. Had she noticed her walking towards them? Her guess was no.

 _Just keep walking, there’s really no need to overthink this._

Zuko was finally just a couple steps away, now alone and looking at the gardens. Mai had already gone in the other direction. 

“Hey!” Katara slowly said, approaching him. Surprised, he turned back to look at her. 

“Hey, I didn’t see you there.” Zuko gave her a soft smile. “How are you doing? Already done at the healing wing?”

“It was a quiet shift today, but I guess that’s for the best.” She smiled, thinking of how many people had recovered that day. “It’s good to have extra time to unwind, actually. Are you done with work too?” 

“I think so. Apparently today is a more laid back kinda day at the Fire Nation. I just have to go get ready for dinner. But I could always start ahead with tomorrow’s schedule if you are scared I’m being too lazy” he said with a laugh. 

“I believe you are good for now, Fire Lord. How’s Mai doing? I saw you two talking,” Katara asked, curious to know what they had talked about.

“Oh, she’s good. She just convinced me to go to some fancy dinner her parents are hosting on Saturday,” he answered.

“A dinner? That’s good, right?” She wondered why Mai hadn’t invited all of them.

“Yeah, I guess. Between us, I think her parents only want to show off how close they are to the new Fire Lord. But at least that means they support me. I’m just not dying to have to pamper up in order to be discreetly judged by everyone. But hey, it comes with the title after all.” Zuko was not looking thrilled by the idea but Katara knew he would always honor his responsibilities. He would go even if he’d rather not to.

“At least that way you are making Mai happy. She’ll probably be bored to death at dinner, so she’ll love your company.” 

For her, anyone would love his company. She thought about how Zuko had accompanied her to seek for the man who killed her mother. He was always there for the people he cared for. 

“She was indeed excited when I said yes. Too bad they didn’t invite all of us, imagine how hilarious that would be.” He looked at her amused. 

“Toph at a formal dinner without complaining for a second? I really don’t think that’s possible.” Katara laughed. The dinner was probably going to be dull but the idea of attending with her friends sounded fun. 

“I think I’m just going to have to hang in there without you.” His eyes showed he had meant those words even if he had said them as a joke.

Katara stayed silent for a moment, admiring the gardens. Then, Aang’s project came to her mind. 

She turned her head to look back at Zuko. “Hey, there’s something Aang, Toph and I wanted to talk to you about.” Excitement showed through her voice. 

Zuko seemed intrigued. “Sure, what is it?” 

“Well, it was actually Aang’s idea, we were just going to help him develop it. He wants to make reformations to the educational system you have here,” she explained. 

“Here at the Fire Nation,” Zuko repeated her words. Katara nodded. “I believe that’s fair enough. I don’t see why the way we teach our children shouldn’t be changed since basically everything’s changing now.” He sighed. “What reformations did he think of?” There was curiosity in his tone. 

“We haven’t really discussed it, I was just on my way to go meet them. But, Aang mentioned something about dancing...” She heard Zuko laugh when she said this. 

“Dancing? Really? Well, as long as _I_ don’t have to dance it could work. Any other ideas?” He smiled softly at her and started walking into the courtyard, ready to listen to her suggestions.

Katara followed him. “Aang said kids should know that the Air Nomads were murdered without fighting back. I know it’s a delicate subject but he’s right, they cannot be fed lies,” she said as they walked by the turtleduck pond. 

Katara wanted to tell Zuko more about the project but felt guilty for taking up the time she could be using on going with Aang and Toph. But she wasn’t particularly fooling around either. Wasn’t she actually helping Aang by giving Zuko a heads up on the idea? She hoped Aang would be excited to know it had caught his attention. 

“That’s actually a very good thought. Aang’s right. Well, you both are. We cannot expect future generations to be peaceful if they are taught such things on school. It’s unbelievable once you start noticing all the things my predecessors ruined for this nation.” He sounded passionate about the subject, just like Aang did.

“That’s exactly my point. Personally, I think kids should have a mandatory class all about the terrible consequences of the hundred years war. They should learn the mistakes of the past and how to avoid repeating them.” The idea had just come to her. But it made sense, she thought. People should learn from the past.

“Okay, I like it. Keep going.” Zuko sat down under a nearby tree. “I think I can take a couple of minutes to hear such a good idea. Then, I’m off to get ready for dinner.” He invited her to sit next to him, padding softly onto the ground. 

Katara decided it would be worth it to meet Aang and Toph a tad late in order to get Zuko up to speed. She would quickly tell him her recent idea and then go with them. That way, Aang wouldn’t have to be nervous about Zuko approving his project, as he had basically already done so. She sat down next to the Fire Lord and proceed to tell him more. 

It was already getting dark outside and Katara rushed through the doors to go meet Aang and Toph. She was more than just a couple minutes late but knew it was for a good reason. Zuko had genuinely liked the education project and was hoping to hear more about it from Aang later. 

She felt like it was always easy to talk to Zuko, he just seemed to immediately get what she was trying to say. She was certain Aang would be happy to hear that his plan had been approved off. 

“Hey guys! I’m here! I have very good news.” Katara entered the spare council room and smiled at the two already there. 

“Oh finally! We were already thinking you drowned on the bathtub or something like that.” Toph welcomed her with one of her classic sarcastic remarks. 

“What took you so long? I thought you said you would meet us in a bit.” Aang looked disappointed.

“Yeah, your boy was about to try to teach me how to write so we could wrap this up before dinner,” Toph joked.

“I know, I know, I’m sorry, but you will love what I have to tell you!” Katara felt bad for not being perfectly on time but she hoped her news would make up for it. 

“Okay, go on then,” Aang said, a hint of skepticism tinted his voice.

“Zuko is on board with your project,” she proceeded to tell them, excited to see their reaction. 

“What? What are you talking about?” Aang didn’t seem to get what she was saying. 

“I’ve just told him about it. He says he likes the idea and agrees with all our points,” she explained. 

“Oh, so that was easy right? Thanks to the earth I won’t have to attempt to write.” Toph chuckled. 

“You told him about it? Why?” Aang’s response wasn’t exactly what Katara was expecting. He looked upset. 

“Because I ran into him by the courtyard and we were talking and I just thought of it! I don’t know Aang, I thought you would be happy to know he supports your idea.” She didn’t understand why he couldn’t be excited about it. 

“Well, I told you I wanted to wait until we had a more drawn out plan! I even asked you to help me with it, not to go and tell him everything without me even there.” His voice got louder than usual as he stood up from his chair to look at Katara with discontent. 

“Oh so you are not even a bit thankful at me for supporting you? Just because you didn’t give me your blessing to talk about your plan?” She was livid. She never imagined Aang would be annoyed at her because of this. 

“No, I’m not thankful! I wanted to be the one to tell him about it. I wanted to have the perfect plan first.” 

Suddenly, Toph stood up. “Okay, you two keep fighting like dummies, I’ll just go and leave you to cool off. If you need my help once you stop whining, go find me,” she said as she left the room. 

Katara knew she was probably already feeling uncomfortable for being in the middle of their disagreement. But there was nothing else to be done, Toph didn't deserve to get caught up in their problems.

“Look, I don’t wanna fight. I just really wished you wouldn’t have told Zuko about the project,” Aang slowly said, still clearly upset with her. 

“But, _why?_ I saved you time, now you two can go discuss the reformations over tea and you can even go alone since you don’t want me talking about it. “ She felt hurt by Aang’s disappointment. Her intentions were never to start a confrontation but she couldn’t stop pushing him. 

“Because I was there, not you! I was there at a Fire Nation school. I experienced their messed up system firsthand.” Aang’s voice started to break. “I listened to the lies about how my people died.” 

Katara finally understood his anger, although she still was disenchanted by his reaction. 

“Aang, I get it. But you didn’t tell me all of that. I didn’t know you were going to be so upset over this.” Her voice was slower now, but still firm. 

“But there was no need for you to do it. No need for you to ditch us to go tell Zuko all about the project.” Despite the bitterness of his remark, he seemed more calm.

“But there was also no way for me to know you would be so against it. You have to understand that. I just wanted to help,” she explained. 

“I know. I’m just, I don’t know.” Aang sighed. 

Katara realized their communication could use some improvements. They were good most of the time, but apparently they were some matters they just couldn't agree on. She would hate to hurt him or herself. She wished things could be permanently easier. But human emotions simply didn’t work that way.

“Well, we could "not know" together while we plan the project,” she suggested, hoping he would accept her suggestion of leaving their argument behind. 

“You still want to do it?” Aang asked, glancing over her. 

She sat down. “Why wouldn’t I?” she said, with a smile starting to softly form on her face. 

“Well, because of... this. I got mad at you,” he answered, sitting next to her.

Katara lifted her shoulders. “You could use all that angst to write the proposal for the project.” 

“It’s not _that_ much angst, you know?” He smiled and put his hand on top of hers. 

“Okay, Avatar, let's get to work then. We should finish up before dinner if you want to show it to Zuko tonight,” she said as she grabbed a scroll of plain paper and shook it in front of his face. "And we should go look for Toph, too." 

Katara smiled, relieved to be on good terms with Aang. They could focus on the project now. The storm had luckily come and go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!  
> I know this chapter is a bit longer compared to the others but because of the alternating POVS it really comes down to what each one of them “needs”. I prefer to keep them at this or the last chapter’s length anyways.  
> I hope you enjoyed it and thank you for reading!


	7. Wandering Through Reformations

Zuko waited for everyone else to arrive at the breakfast table. He was giving Aang’s proposal one final read before they would all head into a meeting with the advisors to discuss its fulfillment. 

The project had already caught his attention when Katara introduced it to him, but now he was seriously impressed by the idea. By last night’s dinner, Aang presented him with a fully written proposal that he, Katara, and Toph had made. He was sold almost instantly. Later, they told the rest of the group about it. Everyone was on board. They all considered it was the right move to make.

Now, they were preparing to present the project to the advisors, so it could be officially implemented within all of the Fire Nation. He considered it a breakthrough, a turning point for his nation. They were all transforming the narrative together. He just hoped everyone else would be on board for change. 

Someone stepped into the room, causing Zuko to look up. Mai sat down in front of him, not without before greeting him with a quick kiss. 

“Hey, good morning,” he rushed to say to her. 

“Good morning to you too.” She poured herself some tea. “Oh, I forgot to tell you that today I won’t be here in the afternoon. My mom insisted on taking me to go buy a new dress for Saturday,” she informed him, rolling her eyes. 

“A new dress? So, it’s going to be a really formal occasion then?” he asked, concerned about having to dress up and play the part in front of her family. He didn’t really need the extra pressure.

“I guess so. My mom really wants to show off the new house and all her good ties to the Royal Family, aka you. It’s basically an excuse to brag about anything they can possibly think of. We’ll be fine though, your mere presence is already going to do the trick.” Mai didn’t sound particularly in love with the plan, but that wasn’t unusual for her. 

“Well, I already cleared out my schedule so we can arrive as early as you need.” He was truly trying his best to have her back on this one. He knew that deep down she was at least a little nervous about it. 

“I think we should leave a couple of hours after lunch. That way we have plenty of time to arrive punctually and do some good old chitchat before dinner,” she told him. 

Sokka barged through the door. “Dinner? Aren’t we about to have breakfast?” He sat down. 

“No, Sokka, I was just talking to Zuko about Saturday’s dinner,” Mai started to explain but she was quickly interrupted. 

“Why are we already talking about Saturday’s dinner?” Toph joined the conversation the minute she crossed the entryway. 

Aang, Ty Lee and Suki followed right after her. 

“No, no. It’s a special dinner, not the one we usually have here.” Zuko tried to clarify things up. 

“Morning everyone. Then, what dinner is it?” Aang seemed curious. 

“It’s a dinner my family is hosting to maintain their lovely political career,” Mai simplified. 

“Aw, that’s so nice! I think.” Ty Lee doubtfully smiled. 

“Agh, that sounds lame. Wait, do we all have to go? Bummer,” Toph grunted. 

“No, actually, only Zuko and I are invited,” Mai answered.

Aang blinked. “Oh, okay. Good luck then.” He sounded surprised. 

Zuko wondered if he was offended by being the avatar and not even get an invitation. Although knowing the kind of people that were going to be present, all of the closest ex-followers of his father or at least the ones that were still sticking around, maybe it was for the better. 

“Thank you! I would die if I had to dress up for some dull formality.” Well, Toph looked relieved in comparison. 

And right at that moment, Katara entered the room. She caught a glimpse of everyone lively talking before sitting down. 

“Good morning. What are you all so fuzzed about?” she said as she grabbed her cup of tea. 

“Oh, you know, nothing. Just here listening to how we were all excluded from some fancy dinner. It’s not like _I_ would want to go anyways.” Sokka rapidly put her up to speed. He was being sarcastic but Zuko could sense some exasperation in his voice. He clearly wasn’t a fan of being left out. 

Katara smiled at her brother. “Saturday’s dinner? Sokka, you would complain about how bored you are half of the time if you were to attend.” She spoke in such a lighthearted way one could believe her words had somewhat of a double meaning.

Zuko noticed Mai’s eyes wide open as she realized Katara’s acknowledgment of the plan. She looked at him with a glance that revealed she had a couple of questions in her mind. He realized he had never mentioned how he had talked to Katara about it. After all, why would he need to mention it? But Mai wasn’t the only one surprised.

“Wait, you knew about it?” Aang asked. 

“Yeah, Zuko told me,” Katara casually answered him. Then, she looked at Zuko, smiling. Apparently, she liked being the only one informed on the matter.

“Yesterday, at the courtyard. I barely mentioned it,” he explained.

“Well, well, well. So, guys, apparently we were left behind,” Sokka joked. 

“Mai, Zuko, don’t listen to my crybaby boyfriend. He is just messing with us all. Enjoy your dinner on Saturday,” Suki intervened.

“There’s really not going to be much to enjoy anyways,” Mai added. 

“Okay, I think we should focus on the project. We have to be ready for the meeting.” Zuko changed the subject. 

He didn’t like the idea of his friends being excluded from the dinner but also knew it would probably be for the better. Either way, they really should be focusing on the reformation plan for the education system. 

“Zuko’s right. Are we all feeling good about it?” Katara asked. Everyone nodded in approval.

“I think the advisors are going to like our project. I hope we can implement it as quickly as possible,” Aang reassured them. 

“Great, let's go crush that meeting then.” Toph’s words made everyone smile. She spoke the truth, they all felt ready to appeal on behalf of change. The reformations were needed. 

The assembly with the advisors was finally over. It had lasted a couple of hours. The project had been approved, details had been discussed and a plan to implement the changes was in the making. Zuko was relieved to hear from his advisors that the reformations were viable. He hoped everyone else at the Fire Nation would think the same. 

It had been way too many years of violence and oppression. He felt the need to change that with every fiber of his being. There were still many things to do, like finding his mother. Zuko clenched his teeth at the thought of her, wherever she was. He hadn’t forgotten her, he couldn’t, he was just trying to focus on his people first. He still felt optimistic about it, despite how much it hurt to miss her. He was completely determined about finding her.

Only time would tell. For now, the group left the room feeling euphoric. 

“So, that went extremely well!” Ty Lee cheered.

“I think we all nailed it,” Sokka agreed. 

“Aang, for real, your project was great. I’m glad you had the idea,” Suki congratulated the Avatar. 

“Thanks, Suki. But I didn’t do it alone. Toph, Katara, and Zuko helped with the proposal and our success at the meeting was because all of us worked together,” he answered. Zuko felt the gratitude on Aang’s words. 

“We all did great today, I’m proud of us,” Zuko spoke out. 

“So, what do we do now? I’m kinda hungry, just saying,” Toph urged them to keep moving. 

“Well, I have to leave in an hour or so to go shopping with my mother. But, I guess I could stay for a quick lunch,” Mai said. 

“I could too. My shift at the Medical Center doesn’t start until past noon.” Katara backed up the suggestion.

“Then, let's see what we can eat. Alright?” Zuko told them and started making his way towards the salon. 

Everyone followed him. They all looked happy, fulfilled. Zuko was glad to see everyone working together towards a common goal, one that would especially benefit his people so much. They seemed to be headed in the right direction. 

For the past couple of hours, Zuko and Aang had been working nonstop on the project. The sun had already started to cripple down and the light coming from the windows of the office was slowly fading away. 

They had been crafting the letters of notice to all the educative institutions of the Fire Nation, in order to inform them of the upcoming changes in the curricula and teaching methods. Both were starting to get tired, although neither of them would rather quit working.

“So, are you lookingforward to Mai’s parents dinner?” Aang asked, breaking the silenced that had been established due to their level of concentration in what they were doing. He had stopped writing for a second.

Zuko hesitated before answering. 

“Em, I think so? I’m not dying to go and, to be honest, I barely know them.” He was just finishing one of the last letters. 

“Really?” Aang seemed surprised. “I thought that, well, with you two being close, you would have more of a relationship with them.” 

“When Mai was my girlfriend her parents were still in Omashu. Also, they really focus on their political career and her baby brother. Apparently now they care about me and that’s probably only because I’m the Fire Lord,” Zuko answered, putting down the letter he was writing and shifting his attention to his friend. 

“When she _was_ your girlfriend?” Aang carefully read between the lines there, he was clearly paying attention to his words. 

Zuko wondered if he had sensed his doubts about the subject. Maybe he had been making it too obvious. _Wait, why am I thinking about this again? I thought I promised myself I would focus,_ he said to himself. His feelings were divided between trying to pretend he had it all together and being honest with his friend. He decided to speak his mind. 

“Actually, we aren’t officially dating right now. We haven’t really talked about it, we just...” He sighed. “I don’t know, buddy, everything is just so different. I’m not the same person I was when we dated and I genuinely don’t think she is, either.” 

Wait, why on earth was he saying this to Aang, considering his latest lurking feelings about Katara? Emotional talks were way more complicated than it seemed. 

“I’m sorry you feel confused. I really don’t know Mai that well, but she seems very nice despite her gloominess,” Aang admitted. 

Zuko smiled. “She is nice. And I mean, I like being with her and all, it’s just that I’m not that sure we are the best match anymore. We are _all_ so different.” 

His mind wondered towards another person, the waterbender that had saved him, when he mentioned how different everyone was now. He wasn’t sure how he was supposed to feel. 

“I think you can take all the time you need to figure that out, it’s an important matter after all. I feel you, though. I mean, in the not official relationship aspect.” The avatar couldn’t help but smile and Zuko noticed it.

“Yeah? Welcome aboard my friend.” He tried to laugh it off, but deep down he desperately cared and wanted to know more.

“It’s honestly exhausting. Do you know how many times I tried to get Katara to understand that I love her? A ton, a real ton. Then, when all hope was lost because she said she was confused, we kissed at Ba Sing Se. I really couldn’t believe how lucky I was,” Aang confessed. 

Zuko’s mind started to wonder, fast, if Katara felt the same way he did about being confused. Could it be because of the war? Because of how much everyone had to adapt and change? Some experiences just transform people. _Well, Katara and I would know about it,_ he thought as he replayed some of the moments they had shared together. Although, in his opinion, she didn’t really seem to have that many doubts about Aang, with their dates and stuff. Again, why did he cared so much?

“So, she said she was confused?” He couldn’t help but ask. 

“Yes, after we saw that dumb play. I freaked out because of all the things it said about Katara only loving me as a brother and so on. It sucked. So I kinda, you know, confronted her about it and tried to kiss her even when she had just told me she felt confused.” 

Aang lowered his sight with regret. “Don’t even bother to tell me how dumb that was because I already know. It’s just that I´ve always thought we’d be together, properly. I couldn’t get why she doubted so much all of the sudden. Anyways, we are good now.” He smiled, hopeful.

“That’s... great.” Guilt started invading Zuko again. “You said you are good then?” 

“Definitely. We aren’t the solid couple Sokka and Suki are, but we’re getting there. I think so at least, she seems into it, into us. I'm just glad to have a chance. Don’t worry, I’m sure you and Mai will figure it out.” 

Aang’s confidence on the subject was something Zuko felt jealous about. How was he so sure Katara felt the same as he did? How could anyone ever know how somebody felt about them? Maybe he was reading too much into it, but he believed he had seen a reminder of that confusion in Katara. He did hope the best for his friend, still, he couldn’t shake that underlying sensation off his head. 

“Yeah, thanks. Well, good luck to you two.” Zuko smiled despite his mixed feelings. He genuinely wanted to see his friend happy. 

“So, by the way, since you and Mai are going to be away for the most of Saturday I was thinking of taking her on a little trip. You know, to get to spend some time alone with her, now that she’s busy all day at the Medical Center. Any recommendations?” Aang asked with enthusiasm. 

“Em, let me see. Maybe you could take her to Kirachu Island? It’s not that far away and they have a neat street market there. The beach is pretty, too.” It had been a fairly long time since Zuko´s last proper date and, now, even giving advice about it seemed strange for him. 

“You know what? That actually sounds like a good idea, not too simple and not too exaggerated either. I’ll plan the details and surprise her later. She’s gonna love it. Thanks!” Aang was smiling from ear to ear.

“I’m glad I could help. Just don’t come back too late, some of the paths can get shady at night.” He advised.

“Sure, I was thinking of coming back in time for a late dinner with the others, if they can. But, you are forgetting about one big detail, my friend.” He pretended to be mysterious.

“What detail?” Zuko asked. 

“I have a flying bison.” Aang grinned. “We are not going to take any of the paths.” 

Zuko realized his mistake and laughed it off. “Right, I’m sorry. What an idiot.” His mind had clearly been busy thinking about something else. 

They both kept laughing for a bit. It felt good to be able to pay attention to trivial things like dates or formal dinners again, without the overwhelming and constant demand for the war. They were other pressures now, for sure, but things were calmer. The world was still turning. But, currently, they could take some time to navigate other aspects of life. Because, in the end, to wander was to be more alive. 


	8. All The Paths You Could Take

“Katara, are you done yet? Our shift is ending.”

The girl stopped storing the medicine in the cabinets. _Uh, no? Not really,_ she thought. She turned left to look at her fellow healer, Rya. They had been working together in almost every single shift that week. Katara liked how quickly she got things done around the healing wing, even when she could be a little too impatient. She was also a remarkable medic despite being only a few years older than her. 

“No, I’m not done. I want to leave this organized for Monday,” Katara answered her.

“But girl, the folks who take the weekend shifts are going to mess up your order anyways. Today was tough enough without you being a set-up freak.” Rya could be a bit rude sometimes, but under that facade, there was an amusing work partner to lighten up the heavy labor of the day. 

“Give me one more second and I’ll go, okay? You can grab your stuff in the meantime.” She just _had_ to prepare everything for her next shift, a neat environment was crucial for her if she wanted to be as efficient as possible. What if someone needed stitches to patch up a wound? Rya would thank her for arranging their supplies then. 

“Agh, you win. I’ll be at the entryway waiting for you.” Her friend grunted and started to walk away. 

Fridays were a surprisingly busy day at the healing wing. Maybe it was just everyone’s anxiety for the weekend or the stress of a pretty long week, but the passing of time felt slower. Katara was ready to go home. 

_Home,_ the word resonated in her mind. Was the Fire Nation her home, now? She wasn’t sure of it, but it certainly felt like a good place to be at the moment. Almost everyone she cared for was there. Except for Gran Gran and her father, but she knew that rather sooner than later she was going to see them. Family ties were unbreakable after all, she was aware of it. 

Katara finished up arranging all the supplies and throwing up whatever wasn’t usable anymore. She took one last stare at her work area and decided it was time to go. She hurried up to make sure not to make Rya wait any longer. 

The two of them had been walking a part of their way home together for the last couple of days. Rya lived in Harbor City, so she had a far longer trip than her. But, they still kept each other company for the few blocks that their paths had in common. 

Katara crossed the entryway of the Medical Center. Rya was waiting for her, with an exhausted but friendly look in her eyes. 

“Finally, let's get out of here, my brother is probably already home for school and I promised I would hang out with him tonight.” Rya urged her to start walking. 

“That’s sweet of you. My brother is probably making out with his girlfriend right now, enjoy yours while you can.” She laughed, as she was just lightly joking, she definitely adored Suki. 

“Is it cool being the little sister? I swear, to be the older child is to have tons of responsibilities.” 

“I mean, I guess it’s fine. With Sokka our dynamic is different. We are both the older and the little child despite the age gap. We equally take care of the other.” Katara wondered if that seemed unusual for other people. She was already so used to their relationship that she couldn’t dream of it being any other way. 

“That’s the dream. Don’t get me wrong, I love Merin, but he’s much younger than me. My mom is always expecting me to do everything. I’m even considering coming for an extra shift tomorrow so she will stop getting in my head.” 

“A weekend shift? But, you have already worked mornings _and_ afternoons every day of this week.” She felt bad for her work buddy. 

Rya slowed down the pace. “I know, but we could use the money. I think I’m gonna do it.” 

Katara smiled softly at her. “Suit yourself, just don’t complain with me on Monday.” She finished up with a sarcastic grin. 

“Oh, you know I definitely will. Anyways, what are your plans for tomorrow?” 

_Being left out of a dinner only two of our group were invited to._ ”Nothing, really. I haven’t got anything planned yet.” 

“Oh, come on. With all those fancy friends you have, I’m sure at the very least you could do a bending showcase where you would dazzle them with your healing.” 

Rya had always found her healing abilities fascinating. She sometimes teased her about “cheating” on her job because of it, but at the end of the day, Katara knew she was glad to know she could rely on them if there was ever the need to. 

“Not tomorrow, the group is not going to be complete.” Katara sighed. She didn’t really mind, right? She knew the dinner would be just a lame excuse for politics. 

Rya smiled gently. “Bummer.”

The two girls were already approaching the intersection that divided their paths. They walked in silence for the next few steps. Later, they stopped there. 

“Okay, I really would love to keep talking but I have to go. Merin is waiting for me.” Rya said. 

“It’s alright, It’s been a tough day. Good luck if you decide to come tomorrow.” Katara knew her friend would definitely work the next day. In the past, she had needed to work hard in order to earn her spot at the Royal Medical Center. Now, she devoted most of her time to it. 

“Thanks, now you go enjoy that palace of yours.” Rya laughed. Everyone at the healing wing was aware of who Katara was and who was she friends with. They respected her for taking the time to work alongside them despite holding an important position within the higher-ups of the Fire Nation.

The waterbender laughed too. “You know it’s _not_ my palace, right?” 

“I’m not dumb, but I like to mess with you,” her friend answered. 

“Okay, okay, time for you to go. We wouldn’t want Merin to give you a hard time for being late.” 

“Spot on, girl. See you on Monday.” Rya smiled at her and started walking away. 

“See you,” Katara replied. “Rest for tomorrow!” she shouted as she headed towards the gates of the palace. 

She was ready for the weekend. 

Katara heard a knock on her door. She had already gotten ready for dinner, but there was still plenty of time left before everyone would gather in the salon. She wondered if perhaps they were going to eat earlier that night and she had forgotten about it. Curious, she got up to open the door. 

“Aang!” She smiled when she saw him. “I thought you were still in that meeting with Zuko.” She gestured him to get into the room. They sat on her bed. 

“Yeah, I was. But it ended earlier than expected, although I still have to go back to Zuko, he’s eager to finish up all the details for the education project,” the boy explained. 

She noticed he was holding onto a scroll of paper.“Oh, alright,” she hesitated before asking. “So, did you want to tell me something?”

Aang smiled. “Right, what a moron I am.” He handed out the scroll to her. “This letter is for you, I think is from your dad.”

She grabbed the piece of paper and took a good look at it. “Yeah, seems like it. Thank you for bringing it to me!”

“Zuko and I stopped by the post room to deliver all those letters that we wrote yesterday. Just when we were getting out, a fresh batch of mail came in. They informed us this one was for you. So I thought I might as well give it to you myself.” His voice was filled with kindness.

“Thank you, I really appreciate it.” She looked at him tenderly.

“Oh, I have something to tell you, too,” he added, nervously batting his eyelashes.

“Go ahead, I can read this later.” She told him. 

“It’s about tomorrow. I know we are not invited to the dinner but I thought we could make the most out of it. Zuko and Mai are gonna be gone almost all day, so I planned a little field trip for us to take.” He seemed nervous. 

“That sounds great! Count me in. Where are we going?” 

_This sounds way more fun than that dinner. See? We don’t need to be included in Mai’s plans to have a good time. Agh, why do I care so much about it?_

“It’s a surprise.” He grinned in a mysterious manner. “You are gonna love it, you’ll see.”

“I see, mystery man.” She smiled right back at him. “Thanks, I’m sure I will.”

Aang leaned forward to give her a quick kiss. “Sorry, but I gotta go. Zuko might actually murder me if I take any longer.” 

“Sure, go, go. We wouldn’t want that.” She accompanied him to the door. “Good luck.” 

“Thanks, see you at dinner,” he said before quickly walking away. 

She shut the door and plummeted back on her bed. 

She thought about how hard Aang was trying. _He really loves me, doesn’t he? I should be more thankful for that_. At least now her Saturday wouldn’t be boring at all. Aang certainly knew what to do for fun, the field trip was probably going to be great. But Katara rapidly focused on the letter she had right in front of her. A letter from her father, who she hadn’t seen in a while. She missed him and Gran Gran a ton, and happiness flooded her mind as she started reading the first words. 

_“My dear Katara:_

_I hope you are doing great at the Fire Nation. Everyone misses you and your brother around here._

_I have been working on getting our tribe back on its feet. I can now proudly tell you that we are working on the urbanization of the village. You should have seen Gran Gran’s face when I told her about it, she’s already excited for the changes. She misses you like crazy. You and your brother are our whole world._ _We are both extremely proud of you._

_From what you told me in your last letter I know you’ve been working at the Royal Medical Center. How is that working out so far? I think it’s amazing that you put those unique abilities of yours to do some community work. I bet you are improving the lives of tons of people daily._

_How is everyone else doing? I hope things are calm over there. I’m looking forward to seeing you and Sokka as soon as possible. You know you can come to the South Pole anytime you want. Your friends are more than welcome too, of course. Gran Gran and I can’t wait to be with you._

_Anyways, that’s all for now, my fierce waterbender. I’m counting on hearing from you soon._

_One last thing, go hug your brother for me, would you? I miss you both so much. Take_ _care._

_With love,_

_Your dad.”_

Katara felt a rush of emotions through her whole body. She had been so caught up in her routine that she had forgotten how much she missed her family. _Urbanization of the Southern Water Tribe? What’s dad getting himself into?_ She wondered how much the South Pole may have already changed. Nostalgia invaded her mind, she definitely had to visit sometime in the foreseeable future. She was doing more than great at the Fire Nation, but she would certainly love to see her family again. 

She realized she wasn’t sure of where her home was anymore. _But home isn’t just one place, is it? It’s the people that you love, that make you feel like you are home,_ she said to herself as she got up of her bed.

She was going to find her brother. After all, her dad had asked her to give him a hug, and she could really use one at the moment. 

“Sokka! I was looking for you,” Katara shouted at her brother. She had been wandering around the whole palace to find him. _Of course, he was going to be practicing with his sword even though he should be getting ready for dinner,_ she thought as she approached him.

“Hey sist, what’s up?” Sokka put his sword down. 

She caught her breath for a moment. “I’ve been looking all over for you, you should be ready for dinner by now.”

He simply lifted his shoulders. “But I am ready. I was just killing some time practicing.”

She looked at her sweaty mess of a brother. “Uh, if you say so.” She still loved him even if he was a bit sloppy from time to time.

He sat down on the floor. “So, tell me. What brings you to my lovely solo fighting session?”

She accommodated next to him. “I got a letter from dad.” 

He looked up to her. “Oh, so did I. I read it earlier. Apparently they are urbanizing the tribe, right? Crazy. Cool, but crazy.” 

She smiled. “I miss him, and Gran Gran.” 

“I miss them too, I can’t wait to see them again.” His voice was softer than usual.

“We’re gonna visit them soon, right?” she asked.

“Of course, we can’t actually stay here forever anyway. I mean, Suki is probably going to leave eventually, she has the Kyoshi Warriors to go back to. And we definitely should go to the South Pole for at least a short visit soon.” His tone showed some doubt.

Katara felt uneasy. “What do you mean we _can’t_ stay here? It’s not like we aren’t doing anything useful.” _Wait, does Sokka want to leave already?_

“No, no, I know. I didn’t mean it like that. Don’t worry, I’m not planning of taking off anytime soon.” He seemed to have read her mind. “It’s just that I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

“I get that feeling. I’m glad we are free to do whatever we want now, but, some part of me doesn’t want things to change at all.” 

She spoke the truth. She didn’t want the group, this little family they had forged, to be separated. But she also knew she couldn’t hold them forever. If one or more of them wanted to go find their own path, they should be able to. That wouldn’t mean the end of the group, just the addition of some distance between its members. 

Sokka nodded in approval to her words. “We have so many options now, it’s incredible. Let’s take you, for example, you could go back to the South Pole, join Aang on his future Avatar adventures, or even stay here to work at the Medical Center. It’s crazy. It’s too much to choose from.” 

Katara felt surprised by the words of her brother. _He’s right, there are so many paths I could take. How am I supposed to know which one I should follow? How do I figure out what I want?_

“Damn it, Sokka, now I’m scared. Thanks for making me realize I have no clue what I want to do with my life.” She felt overwhelmed all of the sudden.

“Katara, don’t be silly, you have a couple of clues at least. For me, it’s basically deciding if I want to follow Suki‘s way or make my own. I love her, and I want to still be able to be with her no matter what. But, what if I decide to help dad with the urbanization plans and the distance is too much? Anything could happen. You don’t have that pressure, at least for now.” His voice was tinted with unusual desperation. 

She felt curious by his words. “What do you mean by that?”

Sokka smiled despite the seriousness of their conversation. “I mean, little sist, that you are not committed to anyone yet. I know that I could choose to break up with Suki, of course, but I don’t want to. We’ve been together for some time now and we both know we want to keep it that way. You, on the other hand, have just started to fool around with Aang. The boy loves you, sure, but you could easily go your own way. Your relationship is still recent.” 

They didn’t usually talk about this stuff, but it seemed like an appropriate time to do so.

“Actually, we aren’t even in a relationship, yet. I think so, at least.”

“See what I mean? You haven’t committed to him, you know you would emotionally survive if your _thing_ ends tomorrow. And don’t lie to me, I can see it in your eyes.” 

“What is it that you see?” She needed to know. 

“That you are not sure you want to be with him! I’m your brother, Katara, I know you well. I see the hesitation in your eyes when you look at him. You love him too, of course. But are you sure you love him _in_ _the same way?_ ” 

His words stroke her like a bolt of lightining. _When did Sokka get so emotionally mature?_ She wasn’t sure.

She felt lost for words. _Say something. Just say something. You are being too obvious._

Sokka sighed. “See? I knew it. I called this one a long time ago.” He paused. “You know I’m here for you no matter what, right? You can trust me, you can talk to me about this stuff. I may not give the best advice ever, but at least I’m a shoulder to lean on.” He put his arm around her.

She sensed her walls go down, feeling exhausted for some reason. 

“I know, we’ll always have each other’s back. You are right, I just... I don’t know. I don’t want to mess things up with Aang nor with anyone, actually. I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel anymore, about anything. I just know I like staying here, for now, helping at the Medical Center, being involved with politics, spending time with you and the others. But, I don’t know what my future will look like in six months, I’m confused.”

Deep down, she knew who else was to blame for her confusion. But she decided to keep that tiny detail to herself for the time being. 

“Hey, it’s okay, don’t feel bad for being confused. You don’t need to have your whole life figured it out just yet. We ended a freaking war, we deserve some time off.” His words were soothing.

Katara hugged her brother, tight. She didn’t want things to change. “Promise me you won’t leave me, please. Promise me you won’t take off anytime soon,” she pleaded.

“Katara, look at me.” She looked up to her brother. He was smiling at her, tenderly. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying right here, where you are, until the time is right.” 

“Thanks, Sokka.” She felt her nerves calming down as she tightened her grip around her brother. 

He was right, she didn’t need to have it all figured it out. She could be as confused as she was, but that didn’t mean she was irresponsible or fragile. It just meant she had many paths she could follow, and she would have to choose very carefully which one she decided to take. _I still have time,_ she repeated to herself. 

Her brother grabbed her by the shoulders and gently shook her a bit. “Now, why don’t you help me look decent enough for dinner? We don’t want to be late, right?”

She grabbed his hand and got up. “Right, lets go.” A smile was now planted on her face.

Sokka followed her lead. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!  
> I just wanted to check in and thank you all for reading.  
> I hope you are having a great weekend and that you enjoyed this chapter. I certainly loved writing it.  
> Thanks again for reading this!  
> Happy Saturday :)


	9. Saturday Dinner

Zuko was waiting for Mai near the gates of the palace. Everything was ready for them to depart to her parents’ house. He had prepared a carriage that would safely take them there. Mai had told him that she would quickly be there, as she first wanted to make sure she was dressed accordingly to her mother’s standards, but it had been quite a while and there was no sign of her. 

_Are we really going to be late? I’m the Fire Lord, for Spirits sake, they’ll eat me alive,_ he thought as he sat down on a bench nearby. The anxiety of not knowing what would happen at the dinner was getting the best of him. He looked at the ground, exhausted from his own invasive thoughts. 

_Just calm down, I’m sure it won’t be nearly as problematic as you think._

When he finally lifted up his sight, he discovered Katara slowly making her way over there. _What is she doing here?_ Zuko quickly recomposed himself. The girl was already smiling at him. 

“Hey!” She sat down next to him. “You haven’t left yet?” 

He made a half-smile. “No, not yet. I’m waiting for Mai, she should be here at any minute.” 

“Oh, I’m waiting too! For Aang, I mean,” she explained.

_Right, their cute little field trip. “_ So, you guys are actually going to Kirachu Island?” 

Katara looked very confused. “What?”

_Wait, she doesn’t know? “_ Um, I-“ _Good job, now you’ve ruined Aang’s plan. “_ Aren’t you two going on a trip for the day?”

She stared at him for a second. “Yeah...” She sighed. “But I don’t know _where_ we are going, Aang said it was a surprise.” Her look was half-entertained and half-serious. 

_Okay, I’ve definitely spoiled it, damn it._ “Spirits, I’m so sorry!” His voice showed how nervous he had suddenly gotten. “I didn’t mean to spoil the surprise. Please, pretend I didn’t say anything.” 

Katara bursted into laughter, looking amused by his awkwardness. 

“Zuko, relax, it’s fine. I still have no idea how that island looks like or what’s there.” She hesitated for a bit before asking. “So, you knew about the plan?” 

He doubted for a second. “Yeah, I told Aang it would be a cool spot to take you to.” He admitted.

Her eyes widened when she heard that. “Oh, okay.” He noticed her cheeks had turned a tad red. “Thanks, I guess.”

“For what?” He wondered what could be going on inside her mind at the moment. 

“For helping Aang plan the trip?” She seemed unsure. “I don’t know, you tell me.” A smiled framed her face despite the uncertainty that tinted her voice. 

Zuko wasn’t sure how to answer that. _Should I tell you how clearly in love with you Aang is? Or how strangely annoyed your little dates make me feel?_ He stared at his feet, moving them from side to side as if they would give him the perfect response. 

Luckily for him, Katara immediately spoke again. 

“So... All ready for the big dinner?” 

_Oh, definitely not. “_ As ready as I can be. I don’t even know why I’m so preoccupied about it, it’s silly.” 

She looked at him in the gentlest way possible. “You shouldn’t worry about it this much, really.” She softly padded him in the back. “I think you are gonna do great in there. You’ll dazzle them all, you’ll see.” 

Zuko felt instantly electrified by her touch. It was as if every nerve of his body had reacted to that simple contact, that little warmth he was feeling on the back of his shoulder. _Stay_ _focused, just stay focused,_ he repeatedly told himself. _Okay, but also say something. Anything, come on, just a couple of words. What on earth is happening to me?_

“Hey guys!” Aang’s voice snapped him out of the trance he had gotten himself into. 

The moment was over. _Wait, what moment? She just padded you in the back, don’t be so dramatic._ Katara stood up to greet Aang, who was standing next to Appa. 

“You’re finally here!” She sounded happy to see him. “Momo isn’t coming?” She asked when she noticed the lemur wasn’t there.

“Nah, Sokka begged me to leave him keeping him company.” He laughed. “Zuko, you haven’t left yet? Too bad.” Aang smiled at him, and he immediately felt guilty for everything that was going on inside his mind. 

He stood up to come closer to his friend. “No, Mai should really be here already. Maybe I should go check on her.” 

“There will be no need for that.” Mai approached them unexpectedly. “I’m here, let’s go.” Her voice was sharp. 

_Oh, hi there, thanks for making me wait for spirits know how long._

_“_ Okay... So both parties are all set, huh?” Aang cheerfully proclaimed. “I guess I’ll see you guys tomorrow, right?”

“Yes, we are going to be back pretty late,” Mai answered. “Speaking of, I don’t want my mom to get pissed at me. We should hurry.” She added, looking at Zuko. 

He raised his hands up in the air. “Sure, sure, we’re going.” He looked at Katara and Aang. “Enjoy your field trip. I’ll see you later.” His eyes stayed fixated in Katara’s for an extra second. 

Mai grabbed him by the wrist and started to walk towards the carriage. He had no choice but to follow her.

“Bye, guys! Have a nice dinner!” Katara yelled at them. 

“See you!” Aang added. 

Zuko waved at them with his free hand, his mind already back to stressing out about the event. He just wished Katara would end up being right about him dazzling everyone. 

Zuko and Mai were right at the door of her parents’ house. Neither of them had decided to knock on it yet. 

“So, are we ready for an evening of terrors?” Mai jokingly said. 

Zuko felt uneasy, despite knowing she was just kidding. “Oh, come on, you really think is going to be _that bad?_ _”_

“Relax, I was just messing around. We’ll be in and out in no time, we might just die of boredom,” she reassured him.

“Great, lets do this once and for all.” Determination rushed through him as he firmly knocked on the door. 

It wasn’t long before someone let them in. 

“Mai, Zuko! Welcome, I hope the trip was alright.” Mai’s mother, Michi, greeted them the minute she saw them walking across the entryway. 

The woman looked certainly well dressed up, with a fancy carmine dress, and her hair and makeup done perfectly. Zuko instantly knew this was a lady he’d better not mess with, or he would risk getting a lifelong headache. 

Mai gifted her a light smile. “Mother, thank you for having us.” She proceeded to carefully hug her.

He smiled at her and extended his arm to shake her hand. “Michi, a pleasure to be here with you today. Thanks for the invitation.” The lady shook his hand and thoroughly scanned him as if looking for anything that could possibly not add up to the immaculate perfection she needed in her household. 

Luckily for them, she seemed to had arrived to the conclusion that they were perfect enough. 

She rapidly prompted them into the salon, where the rest of the attendees were.

What Zuko wasn’t expecting, although he really should have, was for everyone to go silent the minute he entered the room. _If I say ‘Hello, Zuko here’ I might as well die,_ he thought, rapidly urging himself to come up with something great to say. 

Michi decided to take on the task of speaking first. “Everybody, please welcome Fire Lord Zuko to our little gathering.” At that exact moment, he wished he could be back at the palace laughing the afternoon off with his friends. But, he was there, and he had to act the part. 

He cleared his throat before speaking. “First, I would like to thank Michi and Ukano for inviting me into their home. And, for everyone here, let’s just have a pleasant evening, shall we? Thank you all.” His voice was steady, despite his crippling nerves. After all, he had been preparing for situations like this for most of his life. 

The stares loosened up after his words, but he could still feel some staggering gazes. 

“Well done,” Mai whispered to him. “The worst part is over.” 

He didn’t really have time to respond, because Mai’s father was rapidly approaching them, and he wasn’t looking particularly thrilled. Zuko knew this man used to be, and deep down probably still was, one of Ozai’s most loyal followers. He wasn’t exactly expecting him to be fascinated by his presence, but he hoped decency would prevail.

Ukano shook his hand. “Zuko, good for you for showing up.” _What is that supposed to mean?_ “I hope you are taking care of my daughter, over there at the Royal Palace.”

He wasn’t about to let this man walk all over him. “I am, sir. I see you relocated to Capital City, how are you adjusting back into the Fire Nation?” He was sure the former governor of Omashu wouldn’t like to be reminded of his political failure. 

Ukano pulled his teeth together. “Absolutely fine, our family was due for a change of scenery.” He made a brief pause. “Did you hear about Ba Sing Se? They’re planning on bringing the walls down, sometime in the near future. Well, that is if the Earth King properly reclaims his throne first.”

“Yes,” Zuko said. “The Earth King and I have been corresponding about the matter. It’s about time they do it.”

Mai didn’t let the interaction carry on without her participation any further. “Father, it’s nice to see you. How is Tom-Tom doing?” 

Zuko guessed she had talked about her baby brother to cut some of the tension off. 

“Mai, darling, Tom-Tom is perfectly well, he’s at the kitchen with your aunts.” His voice softened for a second before going back to its usual tone. “Now, let’s talk about you. What are you exactly doing hanging out at the palace all day? Please, tell me you are spending your time in a useful manner.” 

_This man really has some nerve, huh?_ He noticed Mai was clinching her knuckles in an attempt to stay calm.

When she finally spoke, her voice sounded cold as ice. “Yes, dad, I am, as a matter of a fact. We are all dealing with the treaties of ending the war and we are actually overseeing several projects that will benefit this nation.” 

He was astonished at the way she had just spoken, as she didn’t really seem that interested in what they were doing sometimes. 

Ukano made a sarcastic half-smile. “Oh, are you? Well, then I suppose I should look for some of my colleagues so you, Zuko, can tell us all more about it.” He then left to get his buddies. 

_Crap, Mai, wasn’t this supposed to be just a lame dinner?_ He thought as he wished the rest of the group were there. Aang would definitely divert some of the attention to himself, being the Avatar and all, and Sokka’s or Toph’s sarcastic jokes would do wonders for lightening up the mood. Ty Kee and Suki would be a great way to keep Mai from getting a boredom attack. And Katara... _Katara would be in her element, she loves being right in the center of the action_ , he though. The waterbender would certainly defy most of the people that were there, with her bold opinions and unapologetic remarks, but she would make him feel less alone in between the multitude of the upper class and judgmental attendees. 

“Great, now he’s coming back with all those boring men,” Mai told him. “Don’t worry, we will all be summoned to the dining room soon.”

Zuko looked at her.”I’m not worried, I’m just _tired_ already. Your dad appears to want to murder me.” 

“Oh, you could count on it,” she chuckled.

Just when he was about to object, someone grabbed her by the shoulder. 

“Mai?!” A well-dressed guy appeared from behind them. “Is it really you? It’s so good to see you, I thought you would never come to something as dull as this.” 

Her eyes widened. “Keith? Hi! How are you? What are you doing here?” 

“Well, you know the drill, your parents invited mine. And, of course, they decided I should tag along,” the boy answered. 

Mai apparently realized she hadn’t introduced him. “Keith, this is Zuko. Well, you probably know who he is. Zuko, this is Keith, an old friend of mine from when I went to the local school here at Royal Caldera City.” 

Keith giggled. “Yeah, before she abandoned all her old friends to go to that fancy Royal Academy.” He shook Zuko’s hand in a friendly manner. “Pleasure to meet you, Fire Lord.”

He decided this Keith guy was likable enough. “I think the same, it’s good to see other young people around here.” 

Keith laughed. “A few more of our former group are here as well, I should introduce you to them. Mai, they are dying to see you.” 

Before the three of them had a chance to add anything else, Zuko noticed Ukano and his peers walking towards them. 

Mai looked at him with a strange expression in her eyes. “Hey, you mind if I go with Keith and the others? I _really_ don’t feel like standing here while those men talk politics to you and pretend I’m invisible,” she pleaded him, almost whispering. 

He decided it would be better off that way. “Sure, go, I’ll handle it. Have fun,” he said to her.

She rolled her eyes. “As if. Keith, let’s go, I want to say hi to the others.” 

The two of them started to walk away, just as Ukano and the others approached Zuko. He knew most of those men, at least vaguely, from his days as a Crown Fire Prince. It was definitely going to be an interesting conversation. 

“Zuko, glad I’ve found you still here. I take it you remember some of my good friends, right?” Ukano said.

_I remember nearly wanting to scream at them, but sure._ He nodded in approval and politely saluted everyone. 

One of the men, an already retired councilman, spoke first. “So, Ukano told us you were working on a couple of projects. Care to tell us a bit more?” 

He decided it would be best for him to just please them by mentioning some of the recent work. 

His words were firm as stone. “Of course. Actually, we have a new legislation coming out on Monday.” 

The men couldn’t seem to believe what they were hearing. Zuko could hear them murmuring, but he didn’t care at that point. He noticed Mai talking to her old friends on the other side of the room, she looked happy with them. _She’s really blending in, shame I just seem to feel extremely out of place._

“Really? And what’s it about? If you can tell us...” a deputy from the former colonies asked. 

“Well, it’s a project to implement brand new reformations to the education system. We’ve been working non stop along the Avatar to get this done as quickly as possible.” His tone was almost defiant.

Ukano couldn’t keep it together. “Reformation of our education system? What on earth are you talking about?” All the other men gestured in approval of his words. 

“The system is in desperate need of some updates. The Avatar and our team are working with me to oversee the changes. A council was held a couple of days ago with my advisors in order to prepare everything. We’ve already sent out the letters of notice to all the educational institutions of our nation. It’s been taken care of,” he simply said, making sure they would understand how little their complaints would do. 

An old general intervened. “Sounds suiting, since the Avatar is basically a child.” The tone of his voice was disgusting. The other men laughed at his commentary.

Zuko felt his throat heating up with a sudden wave of rage. “Excuse you, but that ‘child’ you are talking about is actually a very skilled friend of mine and a hero. I would appreciate it if you keep ignorant comments like that for when I’m not anywhere near you.” He simply _had_ to defend Aang. It’s what he would have done for him as well. 

What he wasn’t expecting was the outrageous remark that followed his warning. 

“At least his girlfriend is a bit more mature, from what I’ve heard. That impertinent waterbender is around my daughter’s age. That girl should be more careful, rumor says she attacked Yon Rha and nearly killed him, what a brat.” Ukano had certainly crossed the line. 

_This is it, I’m done. How could he say this about Katara? She’s not Aang’s girlfriend, for starters. She’s not impertinent, she’s resilient. She’s not a brat, she’s one of the bravest persons that I know off, and you should all respect her! She lost her mother because of that pathetic old man, for Spirit's sake!_

Zuko felt overthrown by his own feelings. An urging need to put the men into their place soared his mind. Although he rapidly shoved it down, reminding himself that he needed to stay calm. _Just keep it together, there’s no need to make a scene._

His voice came out more serious than ever. “You know, I’m just saying, but Yon Rha murdered her mother. I think all of you would be more than thirsty for some cold-blooded revenge if that had happened to you, which she _didn’t do_ by the way. She’s not a brat, she’s a war hero. And certainly much, _much_ more than the Avatar’s girlfriend, which she _also isn’t_. Just thought I would derail your fake news.” He swallowed hard, his voice on the verge of shaking. “I bet none of you want to make a scene, right? So why don’t we all just carry along with the political chitchat?” 

That would be his final warning, and he was pretty sure the men had understood that. What he overlooked was just how surprised they all seemed about the way he vehemently defended the waterbender. 

Before anyone could object or say anything else, Michi called everyone to the table. 

“How’s it all going?” Mai was suddenly next to him, ready for dinner. She looked much lively than before, and he guessed Keith and his group had something to do with that.

“You know, it could be much better, but also I have a feeling it could be _much worse_ ," he replied, hoping that the food would keep the problematic conversations away. 

Mai grunted. “Yeah, that about sums it all up.” 

As the two of them entered the dining room, Zuko wondered why they had even bothered inviting him in the first place. 

The slam on the door as they departed Michi and Ukano’s house felt like a victory. It was definitely late, and with the trip back to the palace, Zuko knew they wouldn’t arrive before it was around midnight. The dinner carried on without any more attacks to his friends, but that didn’t keep awkward conversations or political discussions from happening. He felt _exhausted._

Mai seemed to be in a much better mood than him, apparently, the evening hadn’t been so boring for her after all. _She was lucky to run into some old friends,_ he thought as they were getting into the carriage. 

He was happy for her, but couldn’t help to resent her a tiny bit for previously abandoning him to her father’s will. He later had met those old friends of her, and they all were really nice, but he still hadn’t been able to shake off the feeling that he didn’t belong there, around all those people. 

_This is what I get for becoming Fire Lord,_ he thought. _Boring social occasions and a dash of passive aggression._

“Hey, you alright?” Mai’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He hadn’t noticed her resting her head on his shoulder. 

He sighed. “Sure, I’m just tired.” 

“I think that went fairly well," she said.

_Um, what?_ “If you say so...” He didn’t feel like contradicting her.

Mai looked straight at him. “What? Come on, I know that my father is though, but my friends seemed to like you.” 

He decided to just speak his mind. “Mai, why was I even invited? Your dad clearly wasn’t thrilled by my presence.” He straightened up on his seat, causing her to lift her head up. 

“What do you mean? My mom makes the guests list, she wanted us _both_ there. I told you, she likes to brag, and you are _The Fire Lord._ ” She sounded almost hurt.

“I’m aware of the fact that I’m the Fire Lord! But Aang is _the Avatar_ for Spirits' sake, he would also have served your mother’s brag desires perfectly. Same goes for the rest of the group, they are all important.” He felt uneasy, he didn’t want to pick up a fight. 

“Well, I’m sorry! I’m sorry that the group wasn’t invited and I’m sorry that you simply despised my family so much.” Her voice was louder than usual.

_Great, now I’m the bad guy._ “I never said I despised your family. I just don’t understand why I was invited to a dinner party only to be mostly left alone at the will of people that don’t seem to even like me!” 

Mai rolled her eyes. “Oh my, Zuko I didn’t leave you alone! Don’t be such a crybaby, you said you were _fine._ Please, just think about how well the night actually went, you were able to talk to tons of important people.” She tried to make him understand her point of view.

_A crybaby? Just breathe._ “I know that, but it didn’t keep me from feeling out of place.” He tried to calm down. It was late, neither of them was in the mood for an argument. 

Mai turned away from him and started looking through her window. “Next time you could try letting me know about it, you know? Maybe I could’ve helped," she simply said, clearly with the intention of ending the discussion. 

His voice came out less gentle than what he had intended. “Duty noted. Let’s try to get some sleep now.” 

It was going to be a long way home, and Zuko had a feeling he wasn’t about to get any decent rest. 


	10. The Unforeseen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!  
> This chapter narrates the events of that same Saturday but from Katara´s perspective, as Zuko and her were in completely different situations during the same period of time.  
> I hope you like it and thank you for reading this!

Katara stood still, watching as Zuko waved his hand at her and Aang before quickly getting into the carriage.

_Good luck, I know you’ll dazzle them all._ She silently wished him the best. 

“Ready to go?” Aang asked her, clearly eager to leave. 

She nodded in silence before speaking. “Yes, come on.” 

The two of them hopped on top of Appa, who was also looking very excited at the idea of going on a little trip. 

Kirachu Island was far different from what Katara had pictured. The location had the tropical weather common to the Fire Nation but felt warmer for some reason. It wasn’t just about the heat, there was a certain atmosphere to it that made it feel like the perfect place for a relaxing day. 

“Aang, this is great! This place looks amazing.” She felt genuinely happy to be there with him. 

Aang grinned, definitely pleased with her reaction. “I’m glad you like it! Now, let me explain the itinerary I have planned for us.” 

_Oh, that’s actually very sweet of him._ “Go ahead, mystery man, I’m listening.” 

Aang started to walk around, moving his hands in grandiloquent gestures. “First, we will explore the town and the market, my source said it was one of the bests of the Fire Nation.” 

She remembered her conversation with a certain firebender. _By source does he mean... Zuko? He probably does._ She pictured him helping Aang with the planning of the trip, brainstorming which were the best spots for their... Date? The trip was definitely a date of some sort, there was no way to deny Aang’s intentions. _Could they have possibly talked about anything else regarding me?_ For some reason, the idea didn’t sit well with her. The thought of Zuko listening to Aang bursting out his feelings for her, because let’s be real everyone knew it at that point, made her feel uneasy. _Why do I care if he knows we are kind of a thing? I need to stop this overthinking nonsense and enjoy the moment._

Aang carried on with his speech. “Next, we are going to find something amazing to eat. Finally, we are going to bring the food here, to the beach, and have a picnic.” 

Katara smiled, she had to admit the plan sounded great. 

Her silly laughter echoed all across the seashore.

“Aang, stop or I promise you I _will_ end up throwing up! You can’t make me laugh while I’m trying to eat,” she said, a little out of breath. 

That didn’t stop him from fooling around, levitating all around her while making the funniest faces possible. 

“Oh, come on, you know you are enjoying the show.” He laughed as well. 

Katara sighed, smiling. “Yes, it’s very entertaining but now I would love to finish my spicy soufflé.” 

“Okay, you win, for now.” Aang came down from the air scooter he had created, sitting down by her side. 

“You were right about this place, the food really is amazing,” she said, admiring her almost gone snack. 

He grinned, looking proud of himself. “Well, I’m glad you liked it. Although, food-wise, you haven’t lived until you tried the macaroons that my people used to make. Absolutely the best mid-afternoon snack ever.” 

“Yeah? Well, one day you better get to the kitchen and throw a feast for all of us. An air nomads culinary showcase of some sorts.”

His eyes widened, he seemed to had been longing to share more of his culture for quite a long time.

“Even though I’m not the best cook, that thought is pretty spot on. I would love to revive my people’s culture.”

“Hey, who says you can’t? I bet one day you’ll get onto it.” 

“Yeah.” He sighed but smiled afterward. “You are right, one day I will. It’s my responsibility, after all.”

“See? That is the optimistic attitude I like to witness,” she said, smiling. 

Aang lifted his shoulders. “Anyways, why do you think we weren’t invited to the dinner? I have to admit, at first I felt kind of upset about it.” 

Katara wasn’t expecting him to bring up that matter. “Oh, I genuinely have no clue. In my opinion, it was a little rude, but I’m not sure if they really had any say on that decision.”

“No, I don’t think they did. I mean, Zuko at least. In fact, he told me he barely knew Mai’s parents.”

“Wait, for real? How?” It felt weird for her to talk about it. 

“Well, her parents were in Omashu while they were dating, remember?” he explained. 

One specific word caught her attention. _When they_ ** _were_ **_dating? Aren’t they dating right now? Man, relationships are confusing._ She wanted to ask Aang more about it, but guilt started crippling into her mind. _Why do I care so much if they are dating or not? It’s not really any of my business, right?_

“So they invited him only because he’s the Fire Lord, probably. And, apparently, we aren’t important enough to be there. Spirits, you are the Avatar, what else would they want?” It really didn’t make any sense to her.

Aang’s voice was tinted with annoyance. “That’s what I thought! Why wouldn’t they invite me, or any of us? I get that they probably aren’t our biggest fans, but it seemed like common courtesy to me.” 

_I guess I’m not the only one feeling left out._ “You are right, but I have to say that the dinner is probably not the most enjoyable event to be at. I still feel like it was unfair, but I feel terrible for Zuko for having to attend.”

He softened his tone. “You know, being honest, I much rather prefer to be here with you instead of there. I was a bit offended for not being invited but this is a million times better.” 

_Well, who would choose an obnoxious dinner instead of a relaxing evening at the beach?_ Despite obviously enjoying her day with Aang, she couldn’t help but feel her mind was constantly going elsewhere. 

She hesitated before speaking. “Of course, this is way better. Thanks, by the way, for doing this.” 

Katara knew he was trying his best to impress her, to show her how much he cared. Even then, she had doubts. Those doubts made her feel angry at herself. Why couldn’t she simply go with it? Wasn’t Aang her best choice? _He is honest with me, he looks after me, he is friends with my brother, why can’t I just be convinced about being with him?_ Actually, she thought, Aang wasn’t the only one that ticked those boxes... _No, I’m not going that way. Not today._ She had been trying to shake those lurking feelings for quite some time now, and it clearly wasn’t working. _Stop, don’t be so ungrateful, appreciate what you have._ She felt as if she was in a never-ending battle with her own mind. _Just focus on the bigger picture._

Aang’s voice snapped her out of it. “I was dying for some time just the two of us. You spend all your days at the Medical Center recently.”

Her mind regained focus once she heard the mention of the place. “I love helping there, it’s been a great way to pass the time. But, don’t worry, nothing is funnier than the council meetings with you and the others.”

He stared at the horizon for a second, the sun had already started to set. “Speaking of, I hate to break it to you but we should get going. Maybe we can catch them for a little quality time by the fireplace.” He grabbed her hand in order to urge her to stand up. “I also promised Zuko we wouldn’t be back that late. I know it’s dumb but he’s right about the night not being the safest time to wander around.” 

_Zuko seems to care a lot, doesn’t he?_

She got up, still holding onto Aang’s hand. “Fair enough, let’s go.” She stumbled through the sand that covered her feet.

He firmed his grip around her fingers, helping her maintain balance. “I’ve got you.” He had the most tender look in his eyes.

As they were getting on top of Appa to start their way back to the palace, Katara kept thinking about how scared she was of ever hurting him. _He deserves this chance, he really does,_ she thought as she sat down on top of the bison. She just hoped her emotions wouldn’t betray her best intentions. 

“I consider today’s trip a success,” Aang said as they were getting down from Appa’s back. 

She smiled at him. “Definitely.”

It was true, despite the doubts that clouded her mind, the trip to Kirachu Island had been a great way to pass her Saturday. Katara was certainly exhausted, though. She couldn’t wait to get in her bed and get a good night’s sleep. 

“Katara, where on earth have you been!?” Sokka’s scream cut through the night air. 

“Guys, we’ve been looking all over for you,” Suki added.

Toph, Ty Lee, Suki and Sokka, the four of them were around Aang and Katara, talking so fast that they could barely understand what the big deal was. 

“Sokka, I told you I was going out with Aang! I don’t understand, what is going on?” 

Toph quickly corrected her. “Yes, but you guys didn’t say _where_ you were going!”

“But what’s the problem about it?” Aang’s voice was louder than usual. 

Ty Lee approached Katara with a gloomy look in her eyes. “Katara, there’s been an emergency at the Medical Center.”

_What? Oh, no._ She could have sworn she actually felt her heart drop, right to the ground. 

Before she even had time to react, Sokka came closer and put his arm around her. 

“There was a problem with one of the intensive care patients. A girl, Rya, she came to us saying you were the only one who could fix it.” His voice was soft as if by keeping his tone down he would be able to protect her from the terrible news. 

Katara flinched when she heard her friend’s name. _Rya, she was working today._

She lifted her head out, trying to make amends with her own nerves. 

“Is the person... dead?” she carefully asked. 

“No, not yet. Well, not that we know of at least.” Suki answered. 

“Then I have to go, now. I’m going to the Medical Center, right now. If there’s even the slightest chance I can help this person, I’m gonna try to do so.” Her voice was filled with determination. 

Everyone looked at her, hesitating. Then, Sokka spoke. 

“Go, of course, go. Aang, can you and Appa take her there?” His big brother attitude had completely kicked in.

Aang immediately nodded. “Yes, come on.” 

Sokka leaded Katara to the sky bison. “I’m coming with you, I don’t care if it’s only a five-minute trip.” 

Suki, Ty Lee and Toph wished them luck as the three of them disappeared into the night sky. 

Rya rapidly welcomed Katara into the healing wing, looking more preoccupied than ever. The rest of the staff was also there. 

“So, Katara, we don’t really have much time for explanations but here it goes. An old lady that’s been ill for months now, had an intra-abdominal internal bleeding all of the sudden. Don’t even bother asking me why, it just happened. We believe she’s been like this for a few days, but only realized it today when she started to throw up a significant quantity of blood. She is close to going into a shock. Long story short, you are the only one with special healing abilities, that’s why we have been looking for you for more than an hour. You and your bending are our best shot at saving her.” Rya had spoken as fast as she could, the thrill and anxiety of the situation really brought up her efficient side. 

Katara took a deep breath. “Lead me to her, I’ll do my best. I’m going to need some water.” 

The old woman was laying down on a bed, in one of the few private rooms that the Medical Center had, already fully unconscious. 

The waterbender felt her heart crunching inside her chest, she stared at the patient and then she looked back to Rya. The girl was there, ready to help her in whatever she may need. 

“What’s her name?” she asked.

“Lyru, that’s what she is called.” Rya impatiently answered. 

She kneeled by the side of the bed. “Hi, Lyru, I’m going to try to help you.” She said to her despite knowing she wasn’t listening. 

Her hands made her way to the bowl of water one of the other medics had brought, she coated them with it and began to focus on the energy from the lady’s body. Everyone else in the room couldn’t help but seem fascinated as the water around Katara’s hand started to glow, acquiring a shiny blue color. 

She positioned her hands around Lyru’s abdomen, concentrating on the spot where the bleeding appeared to have started. She stayed like this for a while, slowly making the water flow around the woman’s body.

“And now, what?” Rya was the first one that dared to ask. 

Katara sighed, trying to not lose any amount of focus while she answered. “If the bleeding started days ago, there’s only so much my healing can instantly do. She would need hours and hours of this therapy.” 

“But we don’t have that much time! She will go into a shock in an hour, maybe two, she’s been unconscious for hours already,” One of the eldest doctors intervened. 

_I know, okay? But stressing me out won’t help either!_

“Let me keep trying, if you say I have two hours, let me use them, _please.”_ Katara had seen other people die but she had never felt this much pressure inflicted by multiple people. The simple thought of not saving Lyru consumed her entirely. 

Rya decided to take the matter into her own hands. “Why don’t we let Katara do her thing in peace, okay? I’ll stay with her, you all can go take care of the rest of the patients.” 

The rest of the people in the room accepted the suggestion and left without causing too much of a problem. 

Katara felt extremely relieved that Rya had decided to work that day, her company kept her grounded. 

“Rya, I really don’t know if she’ll make it. I don’t know what else I can do.” She was starting to panic, although she was trying her best to keep it hidden. 

Rya sighed. “Darling, listen. Her cells have probably been failing for days now, see the bruises on the skin above her ribs?”

She didn’t want to observe them, she didn’t want to deal with the pain she was feeling right now. It was all a little too much for her to take. She just kept concentrating on the water flowing through her hands and onto Lyru’s body. Her mind was playing against her though, as it had already planted a question inside her head: What if she had stayed at the palace instead of going on a trip for the day? Could those hours make the difference between life and death? 

“But what if I had gotten here earlier? Maybe she would have already recovered.” Her voice was starting to break. 

Her friend put her hand in her forearm in a reassuring gesture. “We honestly have no way of knowing for sure. But, in my opinion, it wouldn’t have made a significant enough difference.” 

The two girls stood still for hours, even though it felt like ages, watching as the water flowed around Katara’s hands and Lyru. The tension in the air was palpable, as it was the sorrow that lingered inside the girls' minds. 

A little over two hours later, the lady had passed away. 

Every single person working at the healing wing at the moment felt the desolation that the passing had left behind. They all knew that those unexpected things happen, but it was never easy. 

“Katara, you did everything you could. We all did.” Rya was hugging the waterbender as if her life depended on it. The girl knew it was the first patient she hadn’t been able to save since she started working at the healing wing. 

She was silently crying, doing her best not to bawl her eyes out in the middle of the hall. 

“She was very, very old, and she had been sick for months already. It was only a matter of time, don’t be too harsh on yourself. This is in no way your fault, these things happen,” Rya kept talking to her in the most reassuring way possible. 

Katara was struggling to get the words out of her mouth. “I just... I thought I could save her! I _needed_ to save her. I don’t care if she was going to die in a week or a month, _I_ needed to be able to save her.”

“Katara, sometimes you can’t save everyone. It’s the first rule of doing this kind of work, we have to learn to live with it.” 

“But it’s just _not fair!_ ” Her voice kept breaking, tinted with an unbearable sadness.

“I know. I wish it wouldn’t have to be this way, but it is what is it. You know what else I know? That you are strong, really strong. You will come to terms with this, I’m sure of it.” 

_Rya, right now I don’t know what I would do without you. Thank you, thank you, thank you._

It took all her strength to actually speak those words. “Thank you, really. Thank you for staying with me.”

The girl smiled at her. “That’s what friends are for. Now, what do you say I walk you to your palace? There’s no way I’m leaving you alone like this.” 

Katara nodded in silence. Her friend helped her get up and walked with her to the main gate of the Medical Center. 

The walk to the palace was mostly silent, with Rya firmly holding Katara’s hand in a reassuring way. 

The waterbender was slowly starting to process all that had happened. A horrible mixture of guilt and sorrow clouded her judgment, despite her rational self knowing that some things simply were beyond her control. 

By the time Rya left her right at the entrance of the palace, she appeared calmer.

“Please, take care. You did your best today, everyone knows it. They are all proud of you, Katara. So be gentle with yourself, I’m begging you. I’ll see you soon, okay? Now, rest,” her friend said before giving her one last hug and starting to walk away in order to make her own way home. 

Katara stood still until her shadow disappeared into the night. 

It was really late, probably way past midnight, so she knew that nobody would still be awake. As she started to walk throughout the courtyard, all the tears she had held back that night started to come back to her. _It’s not my fault, Rya said. It’s not my fault, I need to stop feeling like this. Why can’t I stop?_

She stumbled across the gardens and decided to sit by the pond. 

She wasn’t in the mood for sleeping but it also wasn’t her intention to wake up anyone. The night breeze would be company enough for some time.

_You can’t save everyone._ The words resonated in her mind. _I have to keep it together, I can’t crumble apart this quickly._ She was trying her best to stop the intoxicating thoughts from getting into her head. She took a deep breath. _I accept this has happened but I don’t know how to stop beating myself up for it._

Katara decided to stop fighting the tears, as she allowed herself to cry her heart out into the darkness of the night. She wasn’t sure for how long she had been there, on the floor, curled up trying to assimilate everything.

Suddenly, a sound disturbed the silence that surrounded her. She quickly turned back, trying to wipe away her tears, to see who was there. 

What she found was an unmistakable pair of golden eyes, staring at her as if she had just fallen from the sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there´s a reason why it took me a bit longer to post this chapter and that is because I really hesitated about the death of that poor old lady. Ultimately, I went with what my gut had told me since the first moment I planned it.  
> I hope that you enjoyed it, despite it having a darker tone compared to the previous ones.  
> As always, thank you so much for reading!


	11. Our Voices Speak At Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday everyone!  
> This chapter holds a special place in my heart, as there are few things I love as much as emotional nighttime conversations.  
> In case you like to listen to music while you read, I´ve prepared some suggestions:  
> •"With Me", by Sum 41 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8z-qP34-1Y  
> •"Nandemonaiya", from the movie Your Name. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB50H91a1IA  
> •"21 Guns", by Green Day https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r00ikilDxW4  
> •"So Will I", by Ben Platt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VjDNOJHQ3g
> 
> Enjoy! And thank you so much for reading this!

When Zuko decided to head over to the pond to be in silence with his thoughts for a while, the last thing he was expecting to find was Katara, curled up and crying on the floor. 

His heart hurt just from seeing her like that. He was trying to figure out how to approach her when she turned around. Their eyes locked, and hers widened when she realized it was him. He instantly knew he would do anything to make those tears disappear from her face. 

He started walking towards her, wondering what could possibly be the cause of such sorrow. 

“Katara, are you okay?” His voice was softer than ever before while he sat next to her.

The girl simply shook her head in denial, silent tears streaming down her face. 

He got a little closer, trying to lock his eyes into hers again. 

“Do you want to tell me what happened?” he carefully asked. 

_Please, don’t shut me down. I want to know. I hate seeing you like this._

She didn’t speak immediately, but she did lift up her sight to look at him. Zuko found himself lost in the ocean of her blue eyes. They stayed silent for just some seconds, but it felt like ages. 

“I couldn’t save her...” When she finally spoke, her words were completely tinted with sadness. 

Zuko flinched when he heard that. He had no idea of what had happened and he was desperate to understand. An urge to hold her in his arms, to tell her that everything was going to be okay, took over him. But, he was scared to break any boundaries. There was a certain irony in his fear.

“What do you mean? Who?” He was being cautious not to make things worse. 

“Lyru, the old lady, she was bleeding... sh-" Her voice broke. “... She went into shock... She is gone...”

Her whole body started shuddering. “She died right in front of me.” Katara was now completely sobbing.

She looked inconsolable. But Zuko decided he would rather die trying. 

All his fears faded away. _I cannot sit still while I watch her fall apart. I don’t have to, and I’m not going to._

He took her hand into his, careful not to make any sudden moves. When he realized she was not going to push him away he leaned in, tugging her hand to pull her closer to him. There was a loving look in his eyes. 

He moved his hand up to her shoulder, bringing her in for a gentle embrace. As she rested her head on his chest, her emotions rose up despite her determination to hold them back. 

“Hey, it’s okay.” Zuko stroked her hair. “I’m here, you are not alone. You can cry all you need, I promise it’ll be okay.”

He could feel the weight of her body against his, even though she was still all curled up. It was because, in that exact heart-stopping moment, Katara was nestled in his arms. 

It took her a while to be a little calmer. Zuko simply stood still, holding her, while she let it all go alongside the tears. His eyes stayed closed, perhaps in an attempt to preserve that instant forever. 

When she was ready to talk, her voice was no longer shaking. 

“Um, I guess I should say thank you.” 

He opened his eyes. “For what?”

She lifted her head up to look at him. “For staying with me while I was a literal mess.” 

He couldn’t believe what she was saying. “Are you kidding? I think we’ve seen worse of each other, far worse.” He made a pause. “Now, would you be comfortable telling me what happened? It’s okay if you don’t want to.” 

Katara nodded. “It’s fine, I want to tell you.”

They still hadn’t moved, not even an inch. 

She took a deep breath. “When Aang and I got back from Kirachu Island, everyone was waiting for us. There had been an emergency at the Medical Center, an old lady from intensive care had a very sudden internal bleeding. The other medics told me I was their best shot at saving her, because of my bending.” 

He watched as her eyes turned watery again. Despite this, she carried on. 

“She died, Zuko. It was too late. Too late because of _me,_ because _I wasn’t there_ on time. _”_ Her voice broke down once more.

“Katara, you can’t blame yourself for the things you can’t control.”

_Just as I can’t blame myself for unexpectedly wanting to stay like this forever. It just happened... No, don’t go there now._

“But it’s the truth! I could have been more responsible, I could have told people where we were going. I should have been prepared for a scenario like this one.” Her voice sounded harsher. 

Tears had started to stream back from her face. 

“I should have saved her! It’s my fault, I was the one late. I should have saved her.” Her words were tinted with desperation. 

He couldn’t stand it anymore. He straightened up, grabbed both of her shoulders and proceeded to speak.

“No, no, no! You can’t save everyone, you should know that by now. You won’t do any good staying angry at yourself, trust me, I’ve been there.”

Katara lowered her sight, seeming surprised of his outburst. Although, she didn’t retreat from his grasp.

“I... I know! I’m not dumb, I’m well aware of the fact that sometimes people leave or die, and there’s nothing I can do about it! I’m just feeling _lost_ right now and I don’t like it, everything was running smoothly. But, this had to happen.” 

“Katara, you may _feel_ lost right now. But, I promise you will be lost and found a million times along this crazy journey called life.” His voice got softer. 

Zuko lessened his grip around her arms, there was a certain glow to his eyes. After pausing for a second, he continued to speak. 

“What you should focus on the most is the people you come across with on the way, those persons that make you feel a little less lost and a little more alive. Who knows when you actually stop being lost? Look at me, if you’d told me I would be where I am right now only a year ago, I would have never believed it. It’s like Uncle said to me once, you _never_ know how things are going to work out. So you better keep trying, you better not give up on yourself because of one slip up or some complications you couldn’t predict.” 

Katara blinked as she stared at him. Her eyes showed how much conflict she was dealing with on the inside. 

“I wish I could explain, Zuko. I know you are right, I know I shouldn’t place all the blame on me. But I just _can’t stop._ I don’t know how to stop feeling like this.” 

_Oh, Katara. If you only knew I’d wait here forever just to see you smile._

“I understand. Sometimes it just... happens. Sometimes we have to battle our own mind in order to be able to move forward, and it can take quite some time. But I just want you to know you don’t have to keep beating yourself up for it. You are more than your bad moments. In fact, you are amazing, Katara, absolutely, and utterly amazing. Don’t ever doubt that.” 

Their connection was electrifying the air that surrounded them. 

Zuko could not believe what he had just said. Perhaps he had been a little too honest, a little too open about his most recent feelings.

_What will she think of me, now? I can barely understand this emotions myself._

She stayed silent for a moment. He caught a glimpse of perplexity in her eyes as if she wasn’t expecting him to speak such candid words. 

Then, she smiled. It was a light smile, almost timid. But definitely enough to convince him that his straightforwardness had been worth it. 

“Thanks, Zuko. I think I really needed to hear that.” Her cheeks turned a little red. “Although, I don’t know what else to say.” Her words were tender. 

He let go of her shoulders and gently lay down on the ground, in an attempt to prevent her from noticing the expression of absolute relief that took over his face. The grass felt soft against his back. 

“You don’t have to say anything, you know?” He put his arms under his head and closed his eyes. “I’m perfectly fine with just staying silent if it helps you feel better.” 

They didn’t say anything for some time, and Zuko wondered what could be running through her mind. 

Finally, she lowered her sight to be able to look at him, even though his eyes were still closed. 

“Actually, I have a question for you. Why were you here in the middle of the night?” 

He sighed. “I guess I just wanted to think. I was in a weird mood, I don’t know. I wasn’t expecting anyone else to be up at these hours.”

“I take it the dinner wasn’t the best thing ever?” 

“Oh, definitely not. It was just so strange, I felt like I was screaming into a void the whole time. And, for the record, Mai’s father absolutely hates me.”

“Why do I feel like I did see that one coming?” 

Zuko looked up just in time to catch a light smirk on her face. 

“You stop crying for like, what? Five minutes? And you are already making fun of me? I might never recover from this pain.” He couldn’t help but smile. 

“I’m sorry, now, getting back to the serious stuff. Why does he hate you?”

“Well, he probably wishes my father would take my place, for starters. You should have seen the look on his face when I started talking about the reformations to the education system. He and his friends were horrified at the mere mention of change. I swear, some people just infuriate me.” 

“I’m sorry we weren’t there as your back up. At least you had Mai.” A shadow momentarily crossed her face when she mentioned her. 

“Not really... She was lucky enough to bump into some old friends. But, yeah, I wasn’t _completely_ helpless.” 

_Why am I criticizing Mai in front of Katara? It’s not like she left me alone on purpose. I should be nicer._

He quickly corrected himself. “I mean, it wasn’t her fault. She did try to get me to blend in with her friends, but I pretty much did a terrible job at it. I just felt out of place, if you get what I mean.” 

“Out of place? Zuko, you are the Fire Lord. Your place is with your people, doesn’t matter if some ignorants don’t approve of your ideas.” Her tone got severe. 

“It was more than just that. I couldn’t help but feel like I didn’t belong there, even though I’m supposed to. You know when you simply can’t shake a feeling off your mind?” 

Katara’s eyes widened when she heard him say those words as if she knew exactly what he was talking about.

She abruptly lay down on the ground next to him, and started staring at the stars. 

“Yeah, it’s actually very annoying,” she slowly said.

“It’s not only annoying, it’s intoxicating.” He let out a sigh. “My mother always told me to remember who I was. Now I know who I am, more clearly than ever. But, it seems like I’m not what everybody wants.”

She seemed to flinch at the mention of his mother, as he didn’t talk about her that often. 

She turned her head around to look at him.

“Who cares what everybody wants? You have your own path to follow, wherever it may take you. I think your mom did well reminding you of that.” 

Zuko stayed silent for a moment. He could notice Katara looking at him even when his sight was directed to the sky. Something urged him to turn his head, to look at her, but the simple thought of his mother consumed him. 

The stars, spread out across the horizon, reminded him of what he had lost many moons ago. Only that his mom wasn’t completely lost, she was still out there, waiting for him to find her. 

_I’ll find you, I promise. I’ll find you._

When he finally turned his head, he caught Katara smiling at him. It felt warm. 

“You know, she’d be proud of you. Proud of the person you have become, despite everything you had to go through to find yourself.” 

_Are you proud, mom? Out there, somewhere, wherever you are._

He couldn’t help but smile as well. Her company was enough to ease his despair. 

In what could only be described as a sheer impulse, he grabbed her hand and intertwined his fingers into hers. He could feel his heart racing as he hoped he hadn’t stepped out of line. 

“Your mom would be proud too. In fact, I bet she’s proud of you in this exact moment.” His tone was reassuring. 

He caught a glimpse of her eyes turning watery in a different way. This time without such torment in them.

“Thanks, Zuko,” she whispered, their eyes locked. “For everything.” 

He slowly nodded. “Anytime.” His voice was enough to give away how much he cared. 

Zuko watched as Katara tilted her head around to look at the stars, shining bright within the darkness of the night. 

_How can one person make everything feel right even when it’s not? Why can’t I help this feeling?_

He was used to fighting these kinds of emotions, but that night he didn’t even try to. There was no need for such behavior. No need to deny the certainty that had started to shape into his mind, at least during that timeless instant. He would have to deal with it some other time. 

He realized he hadn’t even mentioned to Katara the fact that his mother was still alive. He wondered what her reaction would be to such revelation but rapidly shoved that thought away. It would be far too soon to tell her when he didn’t even have a clue of where she could be. He wouldn’t want to bring her hopes up, to bring his own hopes up, before having any kind of plan. _When the time’s right, maybe I’ll tell her._

He wasn’t sure how long they spent in silence, fingers intertwined alongside the company of the moon and stars. Was that moment even real? Perhaps he was only dreaming, after all. A dream so tangible, so genuine, he would never want to wake up from. Just to be sure, just to check if she was still there, he decided to turn his head.

What he saw, softened him to the very core. 

Katara was there, as palpable as the grass underneath them. She looked exhausted but certainly less sorrowful than before. Her eyes were closed, her head tilted just a bit in the direction where he was, only a few inches apart. She seemed to had fallen completely asleep. 

Zuko debated whether or not to wake her up. 

_She’s probably drained from today’s events. I should just stay here while she catches some rest. I can wake her up before dawn._

He knew he wouldn’t fall asleep, there was too much running through his mind. He decided to use the time to think. To reflect on who he was, about his future as Fire Lord, about a plan to find his mother. But also to assimilate all the emotions spiraling inside of him, regarding the girl that was peacefully sleeping by his side. 

He had a feeling those emotions were only about to get stronger. 

_Agh, Katara, what have you done to me?_


	12. Some News

Katara opened her eyes, feeling somewhat disoriented for a second. 

The events of the night before replayed in her head like a dream. So much had happened within just a few hours. She could still feel the grief inside of her, caused by the lady she couldn’t save. But she could also perceive some warmth mixed up with all the gloom. 

_Zuko._ She remembered how he had taken care of her. The vision of the two of them, laying on the grass at the middle of the night with their fingers intertwined, was now forever engraved in her memory.

She moved across the sheets of her bed, unwrapping herself from them when a realization hit her all of the sudden. Hadn’t she fallen asleep whilst looking at the stars? 

_Very thoughtful of you, Katara, falling asleep while someone is trying to keep you company,_ she thought as she tried to remember.

It was all kind of a blur. One of the last things she recalled, before falling asleep by the pond, was hearing Zuko’s voice as her fatigue started to kick in. Now, it lingered every corner of her mind, relentlessly. 

“ _Anytime.”_

Even the most simple words can carry an extraordinarily profound meaning. 

She recalled him slowly waking her up. The early dawn sending soft, shimmering rays over her skin. 

They had walked together back into the palace, in the tenderest of silences. Her sleepiness during those moments prevented her from remembering much more. But, she was certain he had made sure she got to her room without any complications. He had his way of showing how much he cared.

It was astonishing how things had changed since the first time she saw him. Who would have guessed they would end up ready to sacrifice themselves for the other when they started off as practically sworn enemies? And now, he had unexpectedly become one of the most important persons in her life. 

As she began to get dressed for the day, fighting off the echoes of sadness that remained in her system, Katara reminisced about her late-night conversation with Zuko. 

He had definitely made her feel better, with his soft yet severe words and pieces of advice. And well, the way he had hold her in his arms while she let the tears fall had certainly made an impression on her. The feel of being so close to him soothed her more than she had expected. That hug had been a more than enough gesture - attachment, perhaps even the delicate beginnings of something new. Something she wasn’t quite able to put into words, yet. 

Every little thing they had spoken about during the night before resonated in her mind. 

“ _You are amazing, Katara, absolutely and utterly amazing.”_

Although she was in the middle of doing her hair, she flinched at the memory of that phrase. 

_Did he actually mean it?_ She wasn’t sure how that idea made her feel. All those thoughts she had tried to shake from her head for the last couple of weeks were now making a clamorous comeback. 

_Spirits, really Katara? Are you serious? You are gonna let the thought of Zuko holding your hand keep you distracted? You have to stay focused,_ she said to herself in an attempt to repress the emotions that kept urging to be taken into consideration. 

Her mind was spiraling through a strange combination of warm and sorrowful memories. She barely even knew how she was going to tell the news to the rest of the group. 

Although she ended up not having much time to fight her thoughts, as just when she was trying to find the motivation to get out of her room, she heard a loud knock on her door. 

“Katara! Can we come in, please?” Sokka’s voice echoed all across the hallway. 

“Please, let us in.” Aang’s timid words accompanied the plea. 

“Hey guys! Um, sure, give me one second.” 

The moment she opened the door Sokka threw himself into her arms, giving her one the most scandalous big brother hugs she had ever received from him. 

“Why didn’t you tell us? Are you okay? Have you been crying too much? Do you need more hugs? A cup of tea, perhaps? I was worried sick about you!” Her brother had apparently forgotten how to breathe and talk at the same time. But it was undeniably wholesome. 

“But, how did you find out? It was too late yesterday, I’m sorry,” she said, still holding onto him. 

She was incredibly glad that they already heard the news, and even more that they had come to make sure she was alright. 

Aang stepped in, and transformed the sibling’s hug into a more messy, collective embrace. 

“Zuko told us what happened. I’m sorry, Katara, I know you probably did all you could.” 

“Our dear Fire Lord woke all of us up about an hour ago. He broke the news for everyone and told us two to come to pick you up,” Sokka explained. 

“We may or may not have a little surprise prepared for you,” Aang timidly added. “Hopefully it’ll cheer you up.”

Katara let go of them, proceeding to sit on her bed. 

“Wait, Zuko? Really?” Her voice was full of surprise. 

The two boys sat next to her. 

“Yeah, he did a great job at explaining everything to us. He had it all planned.” Aang’s voice was soft. 

“Although, I’m still mad at you for not coming to me sooner. For real now, are you sure you’re okay?” Sokka asked. 

Was she okay? Well, nothing could change the fact that she hadn’t been able to save Lyru. But, feeling this much warmth and care from the people she loved certainly lightened her up. 

_You know what? Zuko was right, it’ll be okay. Maybe not right now, but rather sooner than later._

She took a deep breath. “Yes, I’m... okay. I’m way better than what I was yesterday, that’s for sure. Thank you, guys, thank you for coming here and taking care of me.”

Aang hugged her a bit more. “Are you kidding? How could we not make sure you were okay?” 

“You might be a tiny bit like the mom of the group, but when crap hits the fan you go right back to being my baby sister, got it? We’ve got your back, the whole team,” Sokka said as he gently pinched her cheek. 

“You’re all the best. I’m truly sorry that I didn’t tell you this myself, but it was really, really late. It was practically a miracle that Zuko found me.” 

“We know, we know, he told us himself. Now, enough of apologies. Let’s go!” Sokka urged her to get up. 

“We told you we had a surprise, remember?” Aang offered her his hand to help her get up, which she gladly accepted.

As Katara stood up, she couldn’t help but smile a little. It warmed her heart to know that everybody was trying to cheer her up, thanks to Zuko. Running into him the night before had been more fortunate than she would have ever guessed, after all.

Sokka and Aang practically pushed her out the door, with promises of everyone already waiting for them. 

Next thing she knew, she was at the Royal Gardens and a beautiful breakfast picnic was waiting for them. The rest of the group was also already there. Katara could not believe they had arranged all of that just to cheer her up. 

As soon as they noticed her coming near them, they all gifted her with their warmest smiles. Well, maybe not exactly _all_ of them. Mai’s smile was warm enough, sure, but Katara seemed to notice a touch of suspicion hiding behind her moves, too. _Could she be jealous because of Zuko’s preoccupation about me? No, that’s silly. I’d better drop this idea right now._

“Hey guys!” she greeted them as she got closer. “You really did all of this for me?” Between all the sadness of Lyru’s passing, this kind gesture was starting to make her feel truly alive again. 

“How are you feeling, Sugar Queen? We were not about to let you wallow alone in your room.” Toph’s voice didn’t hold it’s usual sarcastic tone, instead a more gentle one had taken shape. 

Suki padded the empty space next to her. “Come sit with us! I’m just quickly going to say that I’m sorry you had to go through that experience, but I’ll shut my mouth about it starting now because I’m sure you probably don’t want to be reminded of it any longer.” As Katara took her place by her side, the girl grabbed her hand and gave it a little squeeze, reassuringly. 

Aang and Sokka sat next to her, just like two knights in shining armor, ready to protect her at all costs. 

“Thanks, Suki. Thanks to all of you.” 

“Look, I asked for the blueberry pastries you seemed to like so much the other day. They are still warm!” Ty Lee’s smile was just as sweet as her personality. 

Zuko’s voice came out soft. “For real, Katara, I thought she was going to block my chi if I didn’t manage to get some of those.” 

Katara’s eyes landed onto his, and she felt her heart starting to beat faster. The corners of his mouth lifted up into a smile and she instantly knew all of it had been his idea. She grinned back at him, in an attempt to show how much she appreciated every little thing he had done for her. 

Mai seemed to decide it was a good time to intervene. “So you better eat at least one. Oh, and we have some chamomile tea for you, my mother always says it reduces stress or whatever.” 

She was definitely trying, Katara thought. After all, she and Zuko were in fact kind of dating, it wasn’t an abnormal thing to not be so thrilled by the person you like giving all the attention to someone else. Right? _Zuko is not giving you all his attention, don’t be so childish. He’s just doing what you would also do if it was him in your place._

“I’ll try everything you want, promised. And thank you all once more, this is very sweet.” 

“Okay, okay, we get it, we are the best. I propose less talking and more eating.” Sokka gently nudged her. 

“Now, _that’s_ a compelling speech,” Toph cheerfully agreed with him. 

Everyone started to see what they would eat from the great variety of food they had in front of them.

In the middle of the bright late morning, the company of her friends, and the beauty of the nature that surrounded them, Katara was already starting to feel much better. 

“Sir, we have news.” Two guards stepped into the picturesque brunch that the group was having. 

“Yes? Go ahead, tell me.” Zuko’s voice got raspy, probably due to the fear of any more bad revelations. 

“We have two urgent letters from the Earth Kingdom, one is for you and the other is for Avatar Aang .” 

One of the guards handed over an envelope to Zuko. The other one handed it to Aang. 

The Fire Lord quickly grabbed it and dismissed the two men. “Thanks, you can go now.”

As the men walked away, curiosity started to fill the air between all of them. The two boys opened the envelopes and silently read their content. 

“Aang, what does yours say?” Zuko asked him.

The Avatar rapidly moved over to where he was sitting, grasped his letter and started to see. 

“Aang?” Zuko repeated. Everyone was expectant.

“Yes, yes, it’s basically the same letter,” the boy answered. 

“So... Do you want me to tell them?” Zuko asked. 

“Hurry up, twinkle toes, we want to know,” Toph urged him. Everyone else nodded in approval.

Aang dropped the two letters. “Sure, you do the honors.” 

Zuko cleared his throat. “We’ve all been invited to the re-coronation ceremony of the Earth King.” 

“Wait, but hasn’t he already taken back the throne?” Sokka wondered. 

“Em, yes? Kind of,” Aang stated.

“Then why does he need a whole ceremony for it?” Toph’s tone was full of sass. 

“Because he wants to? Guys, focus,” Suki shushed them.

“So, what I was saying... It’s going to be quite the big deal, first the ceremony and then a formal celebration at the palace.”

“They want us all to go as guests of honor. It’s going to take place during the weekend,” Aang added.

“Wait, this one?” Mai asked. 

“Well, yes. But the actual ceremony doesn’t start until Saturday so we are not really in that much of a hurry.”

“I see someone’s in a rush to feel all mighty and powerful,” Toph grunted.

“At least we were invited this time. And hopefully, there’s not going to be any psychotic Dai Li’s anywhere near us,” Katara remarked.

“Hey, it’s a celebration who cares? It gives us an excuse to go to a party after ages. I’m in.” Ty Lee didn’t hesitate. 

“I was actually thinking of something,” Zuko slowly said. 

“About what?” Katara asked him. He seemed nervous all of the sudden. 

“I was hoping that we could go a couple of days before, to visit Uncle. You don’t have to come, though, but I think I might leave early so I can spend more time with him.” 

Sokka blinked. “Are you kidding? Of course we’ll go with you.”

“Yeah, Sparky, your Uncle is really the coolest old man.” Toph’s voice showed the respect she had for Iroh.

“When were you planning on leaving?” Aang asked. 

“Maybe Wednesday night? That way we could be there by Thursday.” 

“Sounds good for me,” Katara said. She could definitely use a little time off. 

“Count us in, too,” Mai said pointing at Ty Lee and Suki. 

“Perfect. I’ll let Uncle know as soon as possible. I bet he’ll love the company.” He seemed happy. 

_This will be good for me,_ Katara thought as they started to lift up the table or, actually, the blanket. She felt a little hesitant about leaving the Medical Center, even if it was only for a few days, but she knew it was time to get going. They hadn’t been on the move for quite some time and visiting Ba Sing Se would give her the perfect chance to step away from everything that had happened at the healing wing. _I should let Rya know tomorrow, though._ She wouldn’t want her friend to think she disappeared without any explanations. _This is good, I could use a change of air._

“Katara?” Zuko’s voice snapped her out of her mind. 

“Uh, sorry. What were you saying?” She noticed everyone else was minding their own business, so he was clearly only talking to her. 

Zuko’s eyes had a caring glance at them. “I asked if you were okay. Overall and with the plan to leave in such a few days.” 

“I’m good, really, thanks. I like the idea of visiting your Uncle and I think some time off will work for me.” She made a pause, smiling softly at him. “I know this was all your doing, and I just... I just wanted to thank you. I can’t believe you did all of this _for me_.” 

Zuko gifted her an affectionate grin. “When are you going to stop thanking me for simply taking care of you?” He gently nudged her. “You deserve it, don’t be so prideful.” 

Katara couldn’t help the way her face light up when he said those words. “Look who is lecturing me about pride,” she sarcastically said. 

“Hey, hey, you gotta accept me for who I am.” He laughed before she had any time to complain. “Don’t worry, I know you do.”

She rolled her eyes. “ _Silly_. Now all I have to do is let the people at the Medical Center know I won’t be working for a few days. Specially Rya, I don’t want her to think I bailed on the job.” 

“No one would think that of you, don’t even stress about it. I mean, what’s better than a trip to good old Ba Sing Se in order to relax a little?” Zuko chuckled. 

“Oh, sure. Well, now that there is actually no war there, it might even be enjoyable.” 

“I’m taking your word for it.” He made a light smirk as he started walking towards the palace with the others. 

_“Zuko seems to care a lot, doesn’t he?”_ That thought had firmly crossed her mind just the day before, but she was now starting to realize just _how much_ he certainly cared for her. It had always been there, the attention, the respect, the link between them. Right from the start, right from the first time, she realized how similar they actually were. _Well, he did jump in front of a lightning bolt for you, remember?_ Sometimes it still amazed her how far they were willing to go for the other. There was something a little scary about knowing that you would do anything for one person. But, she knew it was worth it to feel that way. Absolutely worth it. 

* * *

On Monday, Katara had to face the healing wing with all the memories of what had happened, and also her very stubborn friend. 

“Oh, Spirits, you’ve been working by my side all afternoon and only now you tell me this? That’s cruel of you, waterbender, really cruel.” Rya’s voice was louder than ever as the two girls walked down the streets outside of the Royal Medical Center. 

“Come on, Ry, we both know you would have never let me keep working peacefully if I told you in the middle of the shift.” 

“I forgive you, but only because your life is too exciting. I hope you come back with a million anecdotes about the Earth Kingdom, at the very least.” 

“Well, that’s for sure. Ba Sing Se is... an interesting city.” 

“When are you coming back?” her friend asked. 

“Would you believe me if I said I have no clue? Because I really don’t. I mean, I guess once the celebrations are over...” Katara hesitated, she wasn’t sure of it. 

“Oh, really? That’s not fair. Who am I supposed to chat with if not you?” 

“I’m sure you’ll manage. Don’t even get me started on how lost I would be if it was you leaving.” 

“I’m serious now, you are coming back eventually, right?” Rya’s eyes showed some worrying. 

_I think so?_

“Yeah, don’t worry about it.” 

The two of them had really slowed down the pace, way too concentrated in their conversation. 

“I mean, you don’t _have_ to help here forever, of course. I’m just curious, you are the exotic one at the healing wing, with a plethora of other things to do. You are a freaking waterbender, the first one we’ve ever had working with us.” 

“I do have my fair share of options, I’ll give you that.”

“See? I knew it, you don’t really seem the type to stay at only one place until the end of time.” 

“Well, my family is down there at the South Pole. I’ll have to at least visit them soon, and I bet they wouldn’t complain if I decided to stay there.”

“Girl, your life sounds exciting but also kind of stressing. Good luck choosing what you feel like doing in life, meanwhile I’m just here being your regular Fire Nation doctor.” Rya’s tone was half sarcastic, half dead serious.

Katara laughed. “I won’t deny you that the stress element is a recurring one in my repertoire, but I’m so used to it already that it has almost grown on me. You keep excelling at the Medical Center, that is your thing.” 

“You really are one of a kind, huh?” She laughed. “By the way, you didn’t have to come today, thank you for showing up regardless of what happened on Saturday.”

A flinch overtook Katara as she remembered it. “It’s okay, I still have to do my job. We have other people to heal.” 

“You really are great at this, don’t let the Ba Sing Se shiny palaces make you forget about it, or the cold snow at the South Pole.” 

She shook her head. “You know Ba Sing Se only has one palace, right? You were right about the snow, though.” 

“Hey, I’ve never been there, so the blame is not on me. You’ll tell me everything about that party once you get back. Maybe then I’ll remember there’s only one palace.” 

“I can’t believe I’m leaving in two days, it’s so surreal. Time went by too fast these last couple of weeks.”

“Well, that’s because you made a cool friend at the Fire Nation. You can thank me later.” 

“ _Thank you, Rya._ You really are a great friend. I’ll miss you at the celebrations.” 

“Look at you, Master Katara, getting all emotional over me. I’ll miss you too. But stop with this nostalgic nonsense, we both still have to come to work tomorrow.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t miss it.” She was always looking forward to her shifts with Rya at the healing wing. 

They had arrived at the corner that separated their paths. 

“Great, I’ll see you tomorrow then.” Her friend hugged her. “Be sure to send my love to all your fancy friends, they welcomed me pretty well when I looked for you on Saturday.” 

She smiled. “Of course, now go home or your little brother will complain that you don’t spend enough time with him.” 

Rya rolled her eyes as she started walking away. “Agh, I know. See you tomorrow!” 

Katara waved at her before heading to the main gates of the palace. Time had really flew by for her, although she still liked the idea of attending the celebrations. Some extra time to straighten up her ideas, given all her recent mixed emotions, could work wonders.

She was going to miss her afternoons at the Medical Center, for sure. But a change of scenery wouldn’t do any harm. In the end, she was actually kind of looking forward to the trip to Ba Sing Se.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!  
> Just wanted to quickly check in, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.  
> I will probably be updating every three or four days for this next two weeks because the end of finals season is really getting the best of me. But don´t worry the content will keep coming!  
> As always, thank you so much if you are reading this!


	13. A Plan Is Set Into Motion

Why did every single conversation with his father left him with such a sour taste in his mouth? 

After another unsuccessful attempt to discuss his mother’s whereabouts with Ozai, Zuko was feeling completely defeated. He simply was not willing to give him any information about the matter. 

_There’s just no way to get through him. Not for me. Agh, why did I even think this could work?_

An idea had settled into his mind the minute he first read the invitation to Ba Sing Se. It was time to take action, to get started, and at the very least make a plan to find his mom. Unfortunately, Ozai didn’t seem to agree with this outlook. 

_Now what on earth am I gonna do? Wicked man, he can’t even bend but thinks he still got power over me,_ he kept grumbling to himself all the way back to his office. All he wanted was one clue, anything, that could lead him a step closer to finding her. He wanted to take his chance now before things could get any more complicated within the political realm. 

As he abruptly closed the doors behind him, without even realizing that they were strangely already open, he couldn’t help but unleash his frustration with a big sigh. “Agh, that was so incredibly stupid of me. What was I thinking, going there and trying to talk to him? Oh hi dad, care to tell me where mom is? What am I, five?” His voice echoed through the walls of the room. He was loudly talking and grandly gesturing, feeling more exasperated than he had felt in weeks. 

What he hadn’t noticed, was that he wasn’t alone. 

“Ejem, ejem, ejem.” A timid but firm voice revealed its presence, it was raspy and deep. “Good morning, sir.”

_You have to be kidding me, right?_ he thought as he slowly turned around. 

“Atkin,” he said, trying to compose himself. “Why are you here?” 

He was definitely surprised to see the old man there. 

Being one of the wisest and trusted men within the Fire Nation, Zuko had been willing to keep him as his advisor, despite his past. The man had been working for the Royal Family for as long as he could remember, ever since he and his sister were little kids. Even when his own father had banished him, Atkin had expressed to him his discontent with such drastic decisions. Zuko knew he had never been a fan of his father’s extreme ideals and that having him by his side would be beneficial to his new Fire Lord status. Because of this, Atkin was now his most trustworthy advisor. 

“I’m sorry, Sir, I just wanted to let you know that the rest of the advisors would like to have a word with you about Ba Sing Se.” The man carefully explained. Then, he paused for a moment. “Are you okay, Sir?”

“Thank you, Atkin. And yes, I’m fine.” The Fire Lord answered, wishing the man hadn’t seen his outburst. 

“I don’t want to intrude, Sir, but I see you went to visit your father...” 

Zuko sighed. “You say you don’t want to intrude but you’re doing it anyway... Yes, I went to see my father. Please, next time if you see me heading over there be kind enough to remind me that there’s no point to it.” 

He sat behind his desk, looking defeated. 

Atkin hesitated before speaking. “As you wish. Sir, can I ask you something?”

_What now? Can’t he see I’m not in the mood for chitchat?_

“Yes, Atkin. Be my guest.” 

“You mentioned your mother when you walked in... Did you questioned your father about her?” 

He looked at the old man with scrutiny, trying to figure out where the conversation was heading to. 

“I did. The bastard revealed to me that she was alive months ago, but as expected I can’t even get him to spill a word about _where_ she could be.” He was so embittered he didn’t care if Atkin knew about the situation with his mother. After a brief pause, he spoke again. “Now, why are you asking me about this?” 

“Well, Sir, as you know I try not to interfere with your personal life. I had no clue your father informed you that Lady Ursa was alive an-“

“Excuse me, stop right there. Did you know my mother was alive but chose not to tell me?” His voice was now tinted with a dangerous dash of rage. His eyes seemed colder. 

The old man looked as if he had been crushed by a rock. “No, Sir! Absolutely not.” He took a deep breath. “There was no way for me to know that, as your father was always extremely secretive about the matter. As far as I was concerned, she was simply not killed right after Lord Azulon’s passing, instead of forced to leave immediately. No one except for your father was sure of what her fate would be. After that, I didn’t hear one more word about the matter for years. Nothing else, Sir.”

Zuko gave up his defensive stand, only to take a more offensive one. “Then, why are you telling me all of this?” 

Atkin took a step closer to the desk. “Because I’ve always suspected Lord Ozai decided to keep her alive, despite the facade he put up for you and your sister. Him telling you that Lady Ursa is still alive, after all these years, only confirms my suspicions.” 

_Okay, you’ve got my attention now._

“Please, tell me you have useful information about where she could possibly be.” With a hand gesture, he quickly invited the man to sit on the chair in front of him. 

Sitting down, Atkin slowly said. “I don’t know if this is actually going to be of much use, but... The rumors were that Lady Ursa had been forced to leave to Gaipan. If you are saying she’s still alive, then there’s a slight chance she might be there.” 

Emotion stroked Zuko as he tried to process the words he had just heard. It wasn’t much, but it was _something_. A name, a place, somewhere on earth she could be. 

“Are you sure about this? About this location... Gaipan, you said?”

Atkin nodded. “Gaipan, located in the Earth Kingdom, one of our former military outposts. Sir, I believe your mother was forced to go there, initially at the very least. As I told you before, I had no clue whether she was still alive or not. Until now.” 

The Fire Lord was trying his best not to get his hopes up. His advisor was making it clear that nothing was absolutely certain. But, for the first time in weeks, he felt like he stood a chance. 

“Earth Kingdom? You are saying my mother could have been there this whole time?”

“Sir, as I said, that’s where I suspect she initially was forced to go to. But Gaipan was practically destroyed during the war because of a terrible flood. No residents of the village were killed, luckily. But still, this is all speculation.” 

“Speculation is _all_ I have. It’s the best lead I’ve had in months.” The gold in his eyes was glimmering with determination. “Where in the Earth Kingdom is Gaipan located?” 

“On the Western Earth Kingdom, Sir.”

A plan started taking shape into his mind. Perhaps it was complete nonsense, but he was confident he could make it work. He simply had to. 

“Thanks. You have to promise me this conversation will remain a secret. No one else can know there’s a chance of my mother being in Gaipan. I will need you to provide me with a thorough map of the region, the most up to date one you can get.”

“Of course, Sir. But, can I ask why?” The man was clearly starting to realize his intentions. 

The Fire Lord only made a light and mysterious smirk. “You know what, Atkin? I think I will really need to have a word with the rest of my advisors about Ba Sing Se. Shall we go to meet them, now?” 

_This is it. I can’t miss this chance now. The plan has to be perfect_ , Zuko thought as he waited for the advisors to meet him. In the vast council room, he had all the extra space to be alone with his thoughts. He had been repeating to himself the course of action he intended to take. 

What a convenient coincidence was for him to be invited to the Earth Kingdom, considering that it was the place where his mother could be. He was not about to let the opportunity go. He had been devoting all his time to the people of the Fire Nation ever since the coronation occurred. Now that he had an actual clue of where she could be, he was going to take some time to find her. He owed it to her, after all. _I’ve never given up on you, mom, and I am not about to start doing that now. I will find you._

“Sir, they are all ready for you.” Atkin entered the room and informed him that the rest of the advisors were there. 

“Thank you, let them in.” _This is it._

As everyone sat down across the rounded table, expectant gazes were directed towards him. 

“Hello, everyone. As you know, I’m leaving to Ba Sing Se in two days. I assume you have everything prepared for this nation to still be up and running during my time away.” 

“Yes Sir, we’ve moved up all your relevant meetings for the next week so you don’t have to miss any of them.” One of the eldest advisors, an esteemed lady from Royal Caldera City, was the first one to speak. 

“Thank you, Nuran. But there’s been a change of plans. I won’t be coming back after the end of the Earth King celebrations.” 

“Excuse me Sir, but what?” One of the younger men looked uneasy with the news.

“I have to attend urgent business at the Earth Kingdom, so I’m unable to return to the Fire Nation once the ceremony is over. But fear not, I intend for my Uncle to take my place while I’m gone. He will make sure our nation is safe. I’m not planning on taking too long anyways. I trust you will make him feel as welcome as possible once he arrives here.” 

“Sir, you want us to inform Iroh of this decision?” Another one of them asked. 

“There’s no need for that. I will write a letter to my Uncle myself and discuss with him the details of the matter in person. I will need two airships. One of them will transport my Uncle over here once the celebrations end. I will need for the other one to be smaller, in fact, as small as possible. That one will be for my personal use once I part my own way from Ba Sing Se. Can you arrange that for me?” 

“Yes Sir, absolutely. We will make sure everything goes as planned,” Nuran reassured him. 

“Atkin will be responsible for keeping me up to date with what is happening here during my absence. You will report anything important to him until my Uncle’s arrival.” 

“Sir, the Earth King has informed us that the accommodations for you, the Avatar and the rest of your group have been prepared. They will provide you with everything you may need during your stay. I’ve already explained you will be arriving early,” the younger one told him, 

“Thank you, Shezin, good to know. Now, any questions?” 

Everyone nodded in denial, apparently he had managed to explain the plan in an appropriate enough manner. 

“Well, then I guess that’s all for now. You can go.” 

He greeted them out and proceed to go to his room to write the letter for his Uncle. He hoped he would be able to help him out.

_Will he be surprised? Probably not, I bet he expected me to do something crazy eventually. But if not now, when? I can’t keep delaying this. Spirits, I hope he agrees to the plan,_ Zuko thought as he walked down the halls of the palace. He was trying his best to suppress the enthusiasm that lingered in his heart. Almost like a dream, he had found the right opportunity. Now, he was determined to run with it. Wherever it may lead him to. 

_“You know, she’d be proud of you.”_

He suddenly remembered Katara’s words, the hope those words had given him. That waterbender, always getting out the best of him, somehow. The way she had talked about his mother had pushed him to go for it. It would kill him on the inside to not do anything to find her. Now, he had the chance to prove himself to his mom, beyond being the Fire Lord, he would be able to prove he hadn’t forgotten about her. He was not going to waste this opportunity, not even in the slightest.

_Katara._ He thought. _I have a plan now. Should I...? No, it is my burden to carry. She’s happy with her own agenda, there’s no need for me to push mine onto her. But she deserves to know... No, not yet._

Trying to put his uncontainable feelings for the girl to the side, he realized no one else knew his mother was alive. No member of the team had even the tiniest clue about it. He hadn’t told anyone, silently living with the secret for months. Maybe it was for the best, maybe he _had_ to do this by himself. Everyone would find out, eventually. Gaipan was certainly not a promise of anything, but it was a start. The beginning of his search. Hopefully, it would also be the end of it. 

Despite any doubt he could possibly have about who to share his plan with, one thing was settled in stone. Zuko was not returning to the Fire Nation after Ba Sing Se. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I know this chapter had practically zero romance in it, but I promise this plot is worth it.  
> I hope you enjoyed it regardless of its more planning/political vibe!  
> As always, thank you so much for reading!


	14. Welcome to Ba Sing Se

Ba Sing Se looked just the same as the last time Katara had been there. Despite the metropolis staying still, a considerable number of other things had changed since her most recent visit. There was nothing extremely noticeable at a first glance, but she could sense herself feeling different than before. The events of the past week had specially left a mark. She was determined to try her best and shake the gloominess off during those few days. Hopefully, a little time off would be enough to finish lightening her mood up. 

“Hey, I think I can see The Jasmine Dragon!” Sokka shouted. Momo eagerly shifted on his shoulder when he spoke. 

“I think Momo is saying he sees it too,” Suki added. 

“Katara, can you see it? I think we’re still a bit too high for it,” Aang asked her.

“Wasn’t Zuko’s ship supposed to be guiding us to the house?” 

“Well, yeah, but apparently there’s this special place all airships have to land on, so they had to take a detour. The great thing about having a flying bison is the lack of need for a parking permit.” Sokka tenderly padded Appa’s back.

“So, guys, the house anyone?” Aang urged.

“We should fly a little bit lower, otherwise we’ll completely miss it,” Katara suggested. 

The boy did as she said and the four of them started to carefully look within the thousands of similar homes located in the upper ring. 

“Okay, this is it. That’s definitely The Jasmine Dragon,” Sokka pointed out. “See? I was right!”

The elegant tea shop could be clearly distinguished from all the other nearby structures, with its multiple staircases and large, elevated patio. 

“They said the house was close to the shop, right?” Suki wondered. 

“Yeah, let’s stop there. Wait, isn’t that the rest of our group?” Aang pinpointed a clear road near the shop. Toph, Zuko, Ty Lee, and Mai seemed to be waiting for them. 

When they got off Appa and onto the firm ground, the others rapidly approached them. They were followed by two welcoming looking ladies. 

“Guys, we were starting to think you got lost!” Toph reprimanded them. 

“Hey, miss you too. Thanks for not coming with us by the way,” Sokka teased her. 

The girl grunted. “Sokka, you know I prefer to have earth or metal under my feet. At least inside that airship, I’m able to see.” 

The two earth kingdom ladies seemed to decide it was time to intervene. 

“Welcome to Ba Sing Se! My name is Tyna and this is my partner, Edina. We will simply guide you to your accommodations and make sure you are comfortable. It’s a pleasure to have you as our guests.”

“Now, if you would please just follow us to your house...” Edina added, before quickly turning away. 

The two of them starting walking and the group had no other choice but to follow their lead.

“Anyone else getting some serious Joo Dee vibes?” Aang asked. 

Sokka nudged him. “Don’t even say it, not worth the risk.” 

He covered Momo’s ears in a protective gesture and Katara let a soft giggle escape her mouth. 

“Quickly, Aang, cover Appa’s ears or else he’s screwed like us.” Toph joked. 

The stroll around town didn’t last much, since the house for the group was only about two blocks away from the Jasmine Dragon. _This is a pretty good location_ , Katara thought as Tyna and Edina stopped at the threshold. The place looked gigantic, with clearly enough room all of them. 

“So, this house is for you to enjoy during your stay. All the meals and utilities will be provided. Don’t hesitate to ask for anything you might need to one of the guards.” Tyna pointed at the men meticulously located at each corner of every block of the neighborhood. 

“The ceremony of his majesty starts on Saturday evening. The party will carry on at the Royal Palace straight after it. Please attend in formal attire.” Edina made sure to remind them. 

“Oh, and Avatar Aang, there’s a barn in the back for your sky bison,” Tyna added. 

The Avatar didn’t take long to thank them. 

“Thanks, to both of you. We’ll stay in touch.” Zuko’s voice cut through the late morning air like a knife. 

There was something about the tone of his voice and his distracted expression that caught Katara’s attention. He seemed a little off, as if some other things were unceasingly running in the back of his mind. 

She must have probably stared at him for too long because she suddenly found his eyes locked onto hers. 

She didn’t drop her gaze. Instead, she smiled reassuringly. Katara didn’t realize, but it was a smile so tender that the air seemed to thin around it. The funny smirk Zuko gave back to her warmed her heart. At the very least, she had successfully made him smile. 

“Come on everybody, what are you waiting for? I’m gonna get the best room!” Toph started running towards the door, quickly barging into the place. 

By the time Katara had managed to get in there, the rooms had already been distributed. 

“So, the boys get the room on the second floor. We should get the two rooms on the third one because that’s where the big dressing room is,” Suki resolved. 

“And we need it to get ready for the ceremony, _of course.”_ For Ty Lee, this was clearly a no brainer. 

“Hey, boys like to look good too, you know?” Sokka bursted out. 

“Sokka, you are gonna be just fine with the bathroom’s mirror,” Katara gently dismissed him. 

Her brother stuck his tongue out at her, clearly not pleased with the lack of support. 

“Well, has everyone settled already? I’m leaving to see my Uncle right now, in case anyone wants to join.” Zuko’s excitement to be reunited with Iroh was definitely visible. 

Mai didn’t take long to speak. “I’ll come with you.” A touch of protectiveness could be heard on her voice. 

“We can all go, right?” Aang offered. 

“Of course, Uncle will be happy to see all of you.” Zuko made a small pause. “In fact, I bet he will be more than willing to give us something to eat.” He was now lightly smiling. 

“Off we go, I need food!” Sokka barged out the door, rapidly followed by everyone else. 

Everything about The Jasmine Dragon was warm, cozy, and welcoming. Despite the majestic structure of the shop, it had a homely feeling to it. The smell of freshly brewed tea charmed all your senses from the moment you walked in through the front door. The large, beautifully decorated dining room had all the space needed for a relaxing time away from the hustle of the daily routine. It was definitely a great place to be.

Iroh’s laugh was in perfect harmony with the ambience that prevailed at the large dinner. 

“You’re going to choke yourself if you keep eating this fast, young man,” Iroh said to Sokka, smiling. 

“Did you hear that? My boyfriend apparently qualifies as a young man, ladies, and gentlemen. I’m dazzled at his display of finesse,” Suki teased him.

“Thanks, really. I’m so touched by all your love,” Sokka grunted. 

Katara and the rest of the group were all sitting down by the window. The teapots and teacups occupied almost all the space on the table. The little room left didn’t take long to be overtaken by multiple plates of food, including the bean curd puffs that her brother was avidly devouring. 

Everyone was lively chatting and laughing, putting Iroh up to date with the newest anecdotes from their weeks in the Fire Nation. The man was sitting next to his nephew, making sure no one’s teacup stayed empty for too long. Zuko kept a constant soft smile on his face, clearly enjoying the company of his beloved uncle. 

Katara couldn’t help but stare at him. The doubt in his expression seemed to be gone, but she couldn’t help worrying about what could be causing him some extra stress. Whatever it was, Iroh’s presence appeared to have calmed him down. She just hoped she could make sure his joyfulness lasted forever. 

The memory of the other night was still sealed onto her mind. Actually, it was more than just Saturday night. It was also Sunday morning, how he had made absolutely sure that she would be taken care of. How _he_ had taken care of her, in multiple ways. It was more than just one weekend, so much more. There was simply something about him that kept stealing her breath out, despite her efforts to avoid it. She couldn’t help it. And she was growing increasingly tired of fighting it. Even if she wasn’t quite ready to admit that, yet. 

“... And I’ve made new menus, including some original tea blends and we’ve also expanded the dessert selection.” Iroh was describing all the changes the shop had gone through since the last time they visited. “Want to check out the menus? My artistic team did a great job designing them.” 

“Sure!” Ty Lee spoke for all of them. 

Iroh quickly managed to get three menus for them. Somehow, Katara was lucky enough to grab one first. 

She started flipping through the few pages, reading the variety of food and drink choices that were available. A particular one caught her eyes instantly, also making her smile. 

_“Red-blooded Nephew: Amber in color and grassy in taste, this tea is not for everyone. Like my own nephew, Zuko, this tea is strong, but its boldness can leave a bitter taste in mouth. It also tastes like Zuko made it. It’s not an spectacularly good tea. Maybe I should take it off the menu, but I don’t really want to.”_

She lifted up her sight to look at the bold firebender. 

“Zuko, you have your own tea! It’s _adorable,”_ she exclaimed, handing him the menu. 

He was clearly caught off guard. “What? Let me see that.” He had been talking to his uncle and Toph while the rest of them fought for a chance to read the menus. 

“Oh, the Red-blooded Nephew. That’s an interesting one, I can assure you,” Iroh admitted. 

“Wait, where is it? I wanna read that,” Sokka pleaded. 

“It’s the _not spectacularly good_ tea, you’ll see it,” Katara giggled. 

“Oh man, I really wish I could _see_ right now!” Toph grunted. 

“Let me read it for you.” Aang jumped in. “Like my own nephew, Zuko, this tea is strong, but its boldness can leave a bitter taste in mouth. It also tastes like Zuko made it. It-” 

“Enough! I make _decent_ tea, I promise. Come on, you’ve drank the ones I’ve made many times before.” 

“If by ‘drank’ you mean barely sipped, then I think you’re correct,” Mai playfully intervened. 

Iroh looked extremely amused. Zuko just blinked, completely mortified. 

“That’s a low punch, Mai! Way to go,” Suki laughed. 

“Careful, buddy. If you let your guard down even for one second, I swear any of these girls will attack you with all they have,” Sokka teased. 

“Oh, yes, because we are _such_ dangerous, evil women,” Ty Lee replied. 

Katara’s eyes glowed. “You know what? I think I’ll have one Red-blooded Nephew right now. I'll be the judge of its worthiness to stay on the menu.” 

Zuko gave her a deadly glance. “Thanks, Katara, I don’t know what I would do without my weekly dose of you absolutely embarrassing me.” 

She smirked. “Oh, _I know_. You’re lucky to have me, Fire Lord.” 

A moment of silence followed her words. The stare between the two of them was remarkably intense. 

Iroh’s gentle voice broke the tension. “So, one Red-blooded Nephew for the brave lady?” 

Toph corrected the order. “Actually, I think you should add a couple more. My guess is we are all dying to mock Zuko for a little longer...” 

_You can bet we are._

Katara was making sure everything was prepared for dinner around the house. 

She had already gotten ready and unpacked her stuff in the room she shared with Toph. The upper floors were as lively as possible with everyone trying to shower, unpack, and get ready at the same time. She was glad she got to do all of that quickly enough to have some extra time to start setting up the table for the meal. Only thing was, Zuko and Iroh were nowhere to be found. 

When everybody had left The Jasmine Dragon to go get ready for dinner at the house, Zuko had rapidly stated that he was staying for a bit longer. Katara had noticed the abruptly troubled expression in his face like he was anxiously waiting for something. She had tried to dismiss it as a nephew just wanting to spend some extra time with his uncle. But she wondered what could be happening behind the scenes. 

Just when she was about to start overthinking again, Zuko barged through the door. 

“Hey, ready for dinner?” he cheerfully asked her. 

“Yes, you are late by the way. The food should be getting here in any minute.” Her words came out less gentle than she intended. 

“You mean right now?” Iroh stepped inside, followed by two Earth Kingdom attendants carrying a large trolley with all the food. 

“Um, yeah.” She made a pause. “I’ll go tell the others.” 

Before she had a chance to start walking towards the stairs, Iroh stepped in her way.

“Don’t worry about it, I’ll go. I bet you were the one to set up the table so nicely.” Not even waiting for a response, the man started climbing up the stairs. 

Katara sat down onto one of the sofas nearby. “Your Uncle is too nice sometimes. Be sure to let him know we all adore him,” she said looking at Zuko.

He sat down next to her, looking tired but certainly less troubled than before. 

“Yeah, I know...” he lazily scratched his neck. 

She couldn’t contain her eagerness to find out if anything was wrong for any longer. “Hey, is everything okay?” 

Zuko blinked, clearly surprised at her question. “Of course, why would you think otherwise?”

She looked at him trying to figure out whether he was telling the truth or not.

“Just wondering, you looked stressed earlier. And now you were pretty late for dinner, which isn’t usual for you to do.” 

He seemed indecisive. “I’m sorry if I worried you... I’m alright, I promise.” 

“Then why do I feel like you are not telling me something?” 

He hesitated for a second. “Katara, for real, everything’s _fine._ You know I would tell you if something was wrong.” Despite these words, his eyes showed some conflict. 

_Wait, what if it’s me? Maybe I’ve been acting too weird these days. No... it can’t be that._

Zuko nudged her before she had a chance to speak. “In case you were wondering... No, I’m not mad at you for the whole Red-blooded Nephew thing.” 

“Wow, I’m _so_ glad you told me this. Now I’m going to be able to sleep at night.” Her sarcastic tone made him chuckle. 

“Nice to know you won’t suffer because of me, then.” He smiled. “I would hate for a tragedy like that to happen.” 

She lifted up her sight to find his golden eyes thoroughly staring at her. His expression had lost all possible trace of anguish. There it was, she started to feel out of breath again. 

“What are you two up to?” Toph’s voice made Katara flinch almost instantly. 

Unconsciously, she moved apart from Zuko, even though they weren’t even that close to each other in the first place. 

“We were discussing how to secretly steal all the food. What do you think?” Zuko was quick to answer. 

“I think you two are weird, but that’s a whole other deal.” There was a trace of suspiciousness in her voice. “So, did you steal all the food yet?” 

Katara pointed at the table, dinner already served. “Not really...” 

Toph sat down on one of the chairs. “Well, let’s eat up then.” 

“No, we have to wait for the ot-“ Everyone else came running down the stairs, followed by Uncle Iroh who had clearly done a great job at rounding them up for the meal. 

Zuko sighed. “Yep, let’s go.” 

The two of them got immediately off the sofa. 

The moon and starts had already come out, as the night took over Ba Sing Se. 

Katara could hear the laughter of her friends in the backyard as she walked into the kitchen. They were all looking at the sky, feeling relaxed after having a well deserved day off at the city. After realizing she had almost fallen asleep sitting in the grass, Katara decided to check out on Iroh, who was gently making some chamomile tea for everyone. 

“You need any help with that?” she asked. 

The old man smiled at her. “Oh, not really. But you can keep me company while I wait for the water to boil if you want.” 

She smiled back at him. “Of course.” She leaned onto the kitchen’s countertop as she let out a sigh. “What a day, huh?”

“It’s great to have you all here. I wish you could visit more often. But I know you probably are overwhelmed with things to do, all over the world.” 

She lifted up her shoulders. “Yeah, you could say so.” 

“Zuko told me what happened at the Royal Medical Center... I just want to tell you, Katara, that you were really brave in there.” 

_Wait, Zuko spoke to him about me?_

“I just did my job...” She flinched at the memory of everything that had happened. For the entire day, she had been trying to keep all that sadness away. 

“Young lady, you did your job. But it was much more than that. You truly care for everyone around you, for everyone you could ever possibly help. You have a good heart Master Katara, don’t lose sight of that.” 

“Iroh, you don’t have to call me Master, you know that.” 

“Well, I appreciate it but sometimes it’s necessary. It’s necessary that none of us forgets how far we’ve come.” He made a pause. “You know, I haven’t forgotten how you saved Zuko during that hideous Agni Kai. You defeated Azula, you saved the entire Fire Nation. Most importantly, you saved my nephew’s life. I’ll forever be grateful for that.” 

“He saved me first.” Her words came out like a whisper, her mind shuddering at the memory of that day.”How could I _not_ save him?”

_He threw himself at a lightning bolt for me... How could I not be ready to do the same for him?_

“What you two did for each other was really powerful, you know? Sacrificing like that, you don’t get to see those kinds of acts every day. I’m proud of both.” His voice was completely tender. 

He seemed to have something more to say, but the noise of the water boiling interrupted their conversation. 

“I think that’s ready,” she timidly pointed out. 

“It is, just let me pour it into the teapot and we’re ready to go.” He started preparing the tea. 

“Iroh?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you. For the conversation, and the tea.” Katara burst out the words without thinking twice. She wasn’t exactly sure why, but every word he said had moved her to the very core. 

“That’s what this old man is here for. Thank you, too.” 

Then, he simply smiled and started carrying the little tea tray outside, to where the rest of the group was. 

Katara stood at the backyard’s door for an extra second, reflecting on everything that was rapidly running through her mind. She looked at the night sky, with the sound of all the laughter warming up her heart. Ba Sing Se was definitely beautiful at night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And... We are in Ba Sing Se now!  
> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, stay tuned for some serious turning points in the upcoming ones.  
> As always, thank you so much for reading!


	15. Indecisiveness

“Zuko, are you really sure about this?” Iroh’s tone was gentle yet deadly severe. 

The Fire Lord was starting to get a little tired of having his Uncle ask him the same question over and over again since he set foot on the city. Of course he was sure. There was no point in delaying it any longer.

“Uncle, I appreciate your concern. But I think we both know I _have_ to do this.” He stretched his arms along the sides of the chair he was sitting on. 

“And you want me to be the interim Fire Lord for how long exactly?” Iroh stopped filtering tea leaves out of the multiple pots available to pay closer attention to his nephew. 

_Well, now that’s a good question._

“A month? Two? Maybe more. You do realize my only clue on where to find her is ‘Gaipan, Western Earth Kingdom’, right?” He let out a frustrated sigh. “I’m hoping to find her as quickly as possible, but there are no guarantees.”

“Timing is a weird thing, nephew. We can only learn how to be prepared for its tricks. Don’t worry about it, I can cover you for as long as you need. I just wanted to be prepared to leave everything in good condition around here.” 

“Thank you Uncle, really. It means a lot to me that you are doing all of this. I just hope I can make it worth it.” 

The old man walked over to where he was sitting. Once he was close enough, he padded Zuko’s shoulder in a reassuring way. 

“You’ll find her, I’m not doubting that. Wherever she is, I know you will.” The slightest bit of hesitation suddenly clouded his voice. “There’s just one thing that I’m concerned about. Are your friends aware of the fact that you are not coming back to the Fire Nation after the celebrations?”

Zuko’s face grew pale when he heard the question. His eyes became wide open as he was hit by the realization that he had no clue of how to break the news to the team. He had gotten so caught up in perfecting the plan to find his mother that he had completely overlooked the fact that the others were in the dark about it. It seemed astonishing how he had assumed he could simply leave without a warning. After all, they had been living together in the Royal Palace for the past several weeks.

_Will they even want to return to the Fire Nation, if they find out I’m not coming back with them? Wait, what about Katara and the Medical Center? Am I being selfish by intending to do this on my own? How did I not think about all of this?_

“I’m assuming you didn’t even mention a word about your plan to them,” Iroh said, clearly reading into his livid expression and prompted silence. 

“You’re right... I didn’t.” His golden eyes were glistening with frustration. 

“Haven’t you all been living together at the Palace for almost two months? Are they planning on going their separate ways once the celebrations are over?”

“Uncle, I have absolutely no idea. I don’t know what each and everyone one of them has planned for the future. We’ve ended the war, now everything else on our lives seems like a huge, annoyingly blank page waiting for us.” 

Iroh sat down on the empty chair next to him. “The blank pages are opportunities, for everyone. There’s no need to rush your way around life. But the problem here is that you decided to start writing on that page before letting anyone you care about even know you already had the ink prepared for it.” 

“I know, I know. All my focus was on setting up a functional enough plan. I just don’t know what to say or how to say it. I guess I’ll have to figure out a way to tell them without revealing the plan to find Mother. It’s too soon, I can’t risk it being a dead end. ” 

“Isn’t Katara working regularly at the Medical Center?” The man slightly raised his eyebrows, in what seemed to be quite a suggestive gesture. 

Zuko could’ve sworn he felt the way his heart skipped a beat at the mere mention of her name. 

“Yes, she is.” A sigh escaped his mouth. “You know that already, Uncle.” 

“Well, how do you think she’ll react when she finds out that you are going away for some time? The girl has been living under _your_ roof, Zuko. She’s been spending long hours healing _your_ people. Don’t you think she deserves to at least know you are not coming back with her? I know she cares deeply about you, don’t shut her out. Don’t shut your team out” 

_Katara... I care deeply about her too. Maybe more than I would be comfortable with admitting._

Just the thought of her was enough to send his mind spiraling down for an answer to his feelings. No matter how hard he tried to focus on the bigger picture. _How can I know for sure that I’m being fair by staying silent? I don’t. I probably should just stop thinking about it._

He shook his head. _“_ Uncle, I don’t even know if they want to spend any more time in the Fire Nation than they already have. They have their own lives to figure out as well.” A small pause was made. “And about Katara... She can still work at the Medical Center without me being at the Palace. Whatever she wants, it's fine by me, as long as she’s happy. But, as I’ve just said, I don’t know what she wants. Or what any of them wants, for that matter.” 

“Haven’t you considered asking them?”

“You should have realized by now that I didn’t have much time to consider anything. I’ll talk to all of them after the celebrations. I’ll tell them I have to go way for Fire Nation’s businesses, I’ll come up with something.”

“I’m sure you will. But also consider telling them the truth. It’s your call, I’m just here to help.” 

“I know, Uncle, thank you. I still can’t believe that it never crossed my mind that I would have to tell them I’m leaving. It’s just... Everything happened so quickly in the last few months. I mean, look where we are now.”

“In the kitchen of our own tea shop, with friends waiting for us in the dining room? I think there’s no better place to be.” He smiled. “Maybe I can do something about your uncertainty regarding their future plans...” 

“Something like what?” His tone showed some concerns about the idea. 

“Something like simply asking them? Zuko, don’t be so paranoid.” Iroh stood up and looked at his nephew, prompting him to do the same. “Why don’t you drink some tea? It’ll help you relax.” 

_I don’t need to relax, I need to figure a number of things out._

He slowly got up, showing a defeated yet joyful smile. “I’ll just trust you with this one, you can _subtly_ ask whatever you want. I’ll say yes to that tea, too.” 

His uncle softly padded him in the back. “That’s the attitude I like to see. Let’s go meet the others.” 

“You want me to carry this?” Zuko pointed at a seemingly ready serving tray close to them. 

“Sure, but why don’t we add the actual tea to the pot first?” his Uncle said, laughing.

An eloquent grin took over his face. “Yeah, that would be the smarter move.” 

Once they got the pot filled with actual tea and the serving tray ready to go, Zuko grabbed it by its two delicate handles. 

“You know Uncle, I’m glad this celebration gave me an excuse to spend some time here.”

The old man brightly smiled as they were walking towards the dining room. 

“You can visit anytime you want. The doors of the Jasmine Dragon and my apartment are always open for you and your friends. Now, let’s drink some tea and see if I can figure out what they are planning to do with their futures. I promise I’ll be _subtle_.” 

_Oh, you better be._

“... And I’m just saying, I can’t wait to wear the tunic I bought for the ceremony. You’ll be dazzled, that’s for sure.” Sokka’s tone was of complete cheerfulness. 

“I thought you had gotten over your shopping addiction a long time ago,” Toph pointed out. 

“I did!” 

“My big brother just wanted to be pretty for tomorrow’s event. And apparently he didn’t get over it,” Katara intervened. 

“Are you kidding me?All _three_ of you went shopping for new dresses.” He accusingly pinpointed Suki, Katara and Ty Lee. 

The girls exchanged glances, clearly amused by Sokka’s vehemence to defend his little shopping spree. 

Suki put her hand on top of his boyfriend’s forearm. “Don’t worry about it, I’m sure you’ll look great... At least compared to two other boys I know of that didn’t go shopping with us.” 

Zuko sensed her playfully staring at Aang and him. 

“Hey! Shopping for fancy clothes is just not my thing. I’m the Avatar, not the Earth Kingdom’s newest fashion icon.” Aang stood up for himself. 

He decided he should probably say something too. “And don’t even look at me, you all know I have my entire Fire Lord’s wardrobe to show off if I wanted to. I don’t need any more clothes.” 

“Well, I think you are all going to look wonderful tomorrow. And Sokka, there’s nothing wrong in wanting to look good for an important occasion. Even I have already prepared what I’m going to wear.” Iroh’s voice was soothing, and the group always listened attentively from the moment he started speaking. 

He paused for a moment to take a sip of his Ginseng tea. 

“I noticed you haven’t told me much about your plans for the future. Come on, share your thoughts with an old man. You are all young and remarkable individuals, I can only assume your paths look just as bright as you are.” 

_Uncle, that’s not exactly what I meant when I said ‘subtly’._

Every single one of them looked at least a little confused by the question. After all, they had spent so much time living the war and constantly plotting how to end it that they never got a chance to really map out what would exactly happen to them, afterward. Their paths were yet to be defined. It was just as wonderful as it was utterly nerve-racking. No one seemed too eager to talk about it. 

Surprisingly for Zuko, Mai was the first one to speak. “That’s because we haven’t really planned much, at least I didn’t.” Her voice was hesitant but still firm. 

“Yeah, I’m just trying to enjoy life day by day,” Toph added. 

Zuko was just hoping things wouldn’t get weird. Maybe bringing up the subject hadn’t been the best move. 

“Simply enjoying life is wonderful, Toph,” Iroh agreed. “That’s why I asked you all about your future. Don’t you have things you are dying to do? Some dreamy plans in the back of your mind?” His expression was of complete tenderness, softly urging them to speak up their minds. 

Aang seemed to hesitate for a second before speaking. “Actually, yes. I want to restore the Air Temples... and bring back my people’s culture. That’s what I really want to do.” 

Iroh smiled at the young Avatar. “Aang, I think that’s a wonderful plan. Your ancestors would be proud.” 

Ty Lee and Suki exchanged glances before the last one spoke. “Ty Lee and I are eager to train with our fellow warriors, back at Kyoshi Island. This chi blocker is going to teach everyone her moves.” 

“You bet I am,” she added. 

Sokka looked sad at the possibility of his girlfriend leaving, but clearly had plans of his own. “I just want to see my dad again. Go back to the tribe for some time, check out the urbanization plans. Possibly help with it. Right, Katara?” He glanced at his sister, eyes wide open. 

The waterbender didn’t immediately respond, and Zuko thought there was a slight hint of doubt hiding behind her soft smile. 

“Of course. We can’t wait to visit dad and Gran Gran.” 

“Well, I just want to see where life takes me. There’s nothing to pressure me right now and I think I might just keep it that way.” Toph quickly brushed off the need to talk about her future. 

“And I’m just glad I’m not stuck in some boring place. Toph’s vision sounds compelling, we have time to figure things out. I don’t think we should be in any rush to have our lives mapped out yet.” Mai’s tone was almost defensive as if she was trying to avoid something that had been bothering her for some time. 

Iroh quickly agreed. “You’re right, dear. There’s no need to start worrying about it right now. You all just have to enjoy where you are in life today. I was just curious to know.” 

_There’s so much for subtlety. Now they’ll know something is up._

Sokka didn’t take long to be on board with that thought. “Yeah, all these plans aren’t to be effective immediately. For now, we can go back to talk about the celebrations.” 

Toph grinned. “You mean go back to mock the ridiculous tunic you are going to be wearing? With pleasure.” 

“That’s a plan I’m on board with,” Katara slightly giggled. 

_Oh well, I think I can consider that a crisis avoided._

As the ambience of their chattering went back to normal, Zuko realized he had been the only one to not mention any plans for his future. Perhaps because he was the Fire Lord, a position that didn’t really leave much room for distractions. No one would be surprised by his plans simply being ‘to take care of his Nation’. But he knew the real reason why he had kept his mouth shut. His biggest plan was to find his mother. Anything else, apart from the well-being of his people, could and should wait. 

There was a part of him that longed to share with his friends what he intended to do, the search he was about to get himself into. But the crippling fear of everything being in vain was enough to stop him from doing so. He couldn’t risk burdening them with his cause before knowing for sure he would succeed. In fact, as they had all clearly mentioned, they had their own dreams for the future. He didn’t want to keep them from making their own way in life, as the war initiated by his Nation had already taken everything away from them. Away from him, too. That’s why he _had_ to wait for the right time to tell them. They had just ended an entire war. It was a little too soon for him to get them on board with his personal quest. Or at least, that’s what he feared. 

The golden glow of the aging sun seemed to invade every corner of the vast metropolis. A pile of letters was stacked on the round table underneath them. It was a large, round table made of rough wood. Around its circumferences were rocks from all over the Earth Kingdom set into the wood. The shimmering rays of sunshine were easily reflected on the dozens of stones. 

Despite his best efforts, Zuko was growing consistently tired of all the paperwork he was trying to get done. He knew he had to leave everything ready for his upcoming departure, even if that meant spending his Friday afternoon sitting on a chair and answering letters from his advisors. Although, he couldn’t help but envy everyone else. They were all outside, enjoying the summery weather. He could still see them across the sliding glass doors that led to the backyard. This view served as a motivator for him, as it reminded him that the sooner he finished, the sooner he could join his team. 

“Zuko? Can I talk to you for a second?” He had gotten so caught up in his writing that he hadn’t noticed Mai walking inside. 

“Sure, what is it?” He put down the brush to look at her. 

The girl was sitting in front of him, a severe look clouded her expression. “What was all that talk about our futures about?” 

_I knew it. I knew one of them would think it was odd._

“Um, nothing? Why don’t you ask Uncle about it, since he was the one to make the question?” 

“Because I want to ask _you._ You stayed quiet during that conversation. Is there anything I should know?” Her voice was firm as the stones that decorated the table underneath their elbows. 

“What? No, there isn’t. Uncle was just being curious, you know he cares about all of us.”

“Zuko, you’ve been acting weird _all week._ Ever since we left my parents’s dinner.”

“Well, I’m sorry for not being utterly excited at the way your father treated me.”

“It’s not just that. You seem off, your head seems to be elsewhere every time I talk to you. Which, by the way, we barely do that anymore.” 

“Mai, relax. There was a _death_ last week, on top of the issues with the dinner. And now I’m at Ba Sing Se trying to spend some time with Uncle but all this paperwork is killing me. You can’t possibly expect me to be chill all the time.”

“I know someone died at the Medical Center but that was on Katara, not you. And she’s looking great already. But you don’t.” 

_What?_

“The passing of that lady was _not_ Katara’s responsibility. She wasn’t even supposed to be working that day. But she did anyway!” His voice angrily trailed off. 

Mai seemed surprised, even somewhat disappointed, at the way he had reacted to her observation. 

“Spirits, calm down. I didn’t mean it like that and you know it. I just think you might not be telling me something.” 

“Well, you are reading things the wrong way. Everything’s _fine._ I’m just stressed with work, that’s it.” 

“You know what? Suit yourself. If you don’t want to tell me, that’s cool by me. Just don’t do anything stupid, could you?”

_What is that even supposed to mean?_

“Mai, don’t get offended so easily. If I had something important to tell you, I would.”

“I’m _not_ offended, okay?” She abruptly stood up. “It’s fine, whatever. You just keep writing those letters, sounds like a great way to spend a Friday afternoon.” 

Her eyes were like daggers sinking down into his glance as she turned back heading to the backyard. 

“Mai, wai-“ 

He didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence, since Sokka barged into the room in the exact moment Mai opened the doors. There was a platter of pie in his hands. 

The boy looked confused. “Hey, buddy! Is everything okay? I was just about to offer you something to eat.”

Zuko shook his head. “I’ll take a piece of that pie, thanks Sokka.”

As Sokka sat down, the Fire Lord moved the stack of letters to the side. 

“You sure everything’s okay? Mai seemed kind of upset.” 

“Well, yeah, I don’t know. She’s convinced that I’m hiding something from her.” 

Sokka cut two portions of the pie and offered one to him before speaking. “And are you?”

_Yes. Maybe more than one thing. But that’s not the point. I’m hiding things I can’t tell anyone about, yet._

“No! She’s just being paranoid. She blames it on that awful dinner we had to go to last week.”

“So, tell me, what went wrong that day?”

“Her father is not really a fan of me being Fire Lord. He’s not really a fan of any of us having power, actually.” As he said those words his mind started wandering towards the other, not so awful, things that had happened that Saturday. _Stay focused._

“Well, there’s not really anything I can do about that. But may I suggest you plan something romantic for you two? Seriously, Zuko. When was the last time you went on a date?”

_Something romantic? Oh, right, I am kind of dating Mai. Spirits, where is my head at these days?_

He frowned. “A date? It’s been months.” 

Sokka’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Well, that’s exactly what you need then! You could have dinner at a nice restaurant or maybe go see a pla-“ He was quickly interrupted. 

“Sokka, I’m not taking Mai on a date. I don’t have the time or the mood for it.” 

The sound of Katara’s laughter invaded the room for a moment, and Zuko didn’t take long to feel intoxicated by it. He couldn’t help but glance over to the backyard, where she seemed to be having the time of her life trying to mirror Ty Lee’s acrobatic movements. He felt a sting of guilt on his chest as his recent feelings towards the waterbender took over his mind. He knew he had to do _something_ about them. But he didn’t have the slightest clue of what. 

Sokka’s voice snapped him out of it. “Really? That’s a shame... But aren’t you two dating? If you need advice, don’t hesitate to talk with me. I promise, Suki and I have a really healthy relationship.” 

He cleared his throat. “I suppose you could call it ‘dating’. But enough of me. How are you feeling with what Suki said earlier about going back to Kyoshi Island?” 

Sokka’s expression turned gloomy almost instantly. “Well, I’m not thrilled by the idea of being apart but I also want to go back to the South Pole eventually. We’ll figure it out. We have time, right?” He made a half-smile that looked somewhat forced. Zuko could tell it wasn’t his favorite thing to talk about. 

The sudden noice of the door sliding open made the two of them flinch for a second. 

“Aang! You don’t need to use your bending to open the doors, it scares people. You are like a loud ninja, and I’m not about to let you kill me.” This was Sokka’s way of welcoming the Avatar to the table. 

The boy simply lifted up his shoulders, staring at the pie sitting on the middle of the table. 

“I knew you two had stolen the food, huh?” He rushed to sit next to them. “Care to share some of it with me?” 

Zuko cut another portion of the pie and handed it over to his friend. 

“Thanks. Things are getting crazy out there, Ty Lee seems to be about to recruit all of us to the circus.” 

Sokka grimaced. “You were lucky to get out. Want to join our talk? It’s basically a bunch of romantic advice and complaining about the future.” 

Aang’s face lit up. “Well, let me see... I’d love to take Katara to the Air Temples. The other day she suggested I’d threw a culinary fest with all the Air Nomads recipes. I think something like that could be fun.” 

“Hey, hey, slow down, that’s my sister we are talking about. I already have enough with having to see you two kiss occasionally.” Sokka was laughing, but the look in his eyes had a touch of protectiveness to it. 

“To the Air Temples you say?” Zuko wasn’t sure of his stand on that idea. 

“Yes, I want to restore the culture of my people. It would take some time, but it’s doable. Katara could really help with it.” Aang’s voice showed some serious excitement. 

Zuko hesitated before asking. “But... she’s helping at the Medical Center right now, and she has her family at the South Pole. Do you think she’ll have time to do all of that?” 

The two boys looked at him, seeming completely surprised by the way he expressed his concerns about Aang’s hopes for the future. Although Aang looked hurt, Sokka’s expression was more of plain astonishment. 

_That was absolutely stupid. Well done, Fire Lord. Agh, why do I care so much?_

The Avatar got defensive. “Well, I don’t know, I think so, I _hope_ so. No one is saying I’m taking her to restore anything tomorrow, I thought we were just fooling around with what we wanted to do in the future.” 

He rushed to correct himself. “No, no, I know. I’m sorry, we are doing exactly that. Work is just getting on my nerves, Aang. I think your idea to restore the Air Temples is amazing.” 

The boy gifted him with a friendly smile. “It’s okay, I get it. No big deal.” 

Sokka quickly stepped in. “So, why don’t you tell us more? And try to keep the references of how you are head over heels for my baby sister to the minimum, huh?” 

As Aang went ahead with his hopes of restoring his culture, clearly alongside Katara, Zuko’s mind started wandering around the many things that kept him worried. He had to figure out a way to tell everyone that he would not be returning to the Fire Nation for some time, without giving away his plan to find his mother.

He also had to tone down those annoyingly pressing feelings for a certain waterbender. After all, one of his best friends seemed to already have his whole life planned with her. _But what does Katara want? Is she really dying to restore some ancient temples?_ He thought as Aang carried on with the speech about his grand plans. Even though he would hate to see his friend hurt, he wasn’t sure the future he had depicted was entirely compatible with what Katara would want. 

_And what do I know about what she wants? Nothing, I know basically nothing._ The only thing for sure was how badly he wanted to know what _her_ hopes for the future looked like, what path _she_ wanted to follow. But he was terrified to ask, with so much going on for the two of them at the moment. 

_I guess I’ll just have to wait and see._ The celebrations were only a day away, and Zuko wanted to be able to enjoy every minute he had left with his friends. He wasn’t sure what was going to happen once he talked to them about going away for a while. He wasn’t sure how long it could be before he found what he was looking for. Enjoying the moment would have to be enough. He couldn’t let the uncertainty of the future prevent him from making the most of what he had, right there and then. 

With the last shimmering rays of sunshine reflecting on the little stones of the table, Zuko sat still, listening to the conversation with his friends. Despite being quiet for some time, he was definitely searching for something to say. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Saturday everyone!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I almost posted it yesterday, but I really wanted to take a little extra time to do some more editing to it.  
> Also, it was my last day of classes for the semester, so it was overall a pretty busy Friday for me. But now I’m done with that, hurray! Sadly, I still have a couple of finals left to take but I should definitely have more free time during the next few weeks.
> 
> Well, thank you so much for reading! Comments and kudos are always appreciated as well <3  
> See (read) you all soon!


	16. A Celebration, Not The Time For Something Else

An unceasing hustle seemed to have taken over the house. The laughter and liveness of the group trying to get ready as fast as possible filled each and every one of the rooms. The upper floor was particularly loud, with the five girls that resided there constantly whirling around doing one thing or another. 

Katara was alone in her and Toph’s room, holding up the new dress before her. She had bought it especially for the occasion, right there in Ba Sing Se. Ty Lee had convinced her and Suki that shopping for something to wear at the celebrations would be a fun little way to get excited about the event. And the waterbender had to admit that it worked. After the unexpected stress of her last few days at the Fire Nation, searching for the perfect attire had been a more than welcomed distraction. Now, the upcoming event didn’t seem like a diplomatic obligation but more of what it supposedly was: an excuse to celebrate and have a good time.

Once she had slipped the dress on, Katara walked over to the dressing room in order to look at herself in the full-length mirror. The long tulle gown had a velvet bodice trimmed with a ruffled design that was only slightly off the shoulders, as there was still a small strap on each side preventing the soft fabric from slipping down, ending in a semi-sweetheart neckline. A delicate silver embroidery of tulip flowers in bloom embellished the piece, starting from the end of the neckline and all the way down to mid-length of the tulle. It perfectly complimented the bold navy blue hue of the dress. Indeed, she had chosen to wear the colors of her tribe for the event. It seemed like the perfect reminder of how far she had come. 

She twirled around for a bit, looking definitely pleased with the results. Just as she was about to get started with her hair, some familiar voices filled the room. 

“Katara, you look amazing! I told you that dress was _the one,_ ” Ty Lee excitingly complimented her. 

Suki whistled. “Seriously, you somehow manage to look both absolutely fierce and charming.” 

“Sugar Queen, that dress is _splendid_ on you. No one will be able to take their eyes off you,” Toph viciously grinned.

Katara smiled at her in an instant of obliviousness, only to immediately grunt. “Toph, seriously? That joke is getting old...” 

The girl simply laughed. “It gets old when I say so. Now, what do you think of what I’m wearing?” 

Toph moved around to show off the dress she was wearing. It was an off emerald green piece, with a straight neckline and a cap sleeve bodice. It had a midi length, which clearly made her feel more comfortable on it since she wasn’t at risk of the fabric slipping under her feet. The girls had gotten it for her on their shopping trip, with the hopes that she wouldn’t refuse to wear it. 

“Look, it even has pockets!” She grinned, sticking her hands into them. 

Katara laughed. “I’m glad you like it, Toph. We _really_ thought you were going to throw rocks at us or something when we gave it to you.” 

“Yeah, I can’t believe we convinced you to actually dress up for the occasion.” Suki smirked. 

“Well, what can I say? It feels comfortable. As far as I know, I could look horrible right now. I had to trust you all in this one.” She was graciously smiling. 

“Okay, I think I’m ready to work with this.” Ty Lee put down the hairbrush she had been quick to use while the girls chatted. She shook her loose hair around, seemingly trying to decide how to style it. She already had her dress on, a rose pink pleated gown with a ruched criss-cross wrap on the neckline and a strapping back. It was just as bold as her. 

Just as Katara was about to suggest a potential hairstyle, Mai entered the room.

“You know, you should simply style it as you always do.” She instantly joined the conversation. 

Her presence was just as compelling as usual, but the charcoal black and burgundy draped dress she was wearing made her stand out even more. Or least that was Katara’s initial reaction to her appearance. 

“Wow, I see someone had a smoking hot dress beforehand. You look amazing, Mai!” Suki greeted her. 

“Yeah, you really had that dress lying around? Thank you Spirits, for giving you a chance to make decent use of it.” Ty Lee seemed shocked. 

Mai sat down on one of the cushion seats that were there. “Oh well, you know my mother. She always wanted me to be ready for any occasion, so I have one or two dresses like this back home. Figured I would actually wear this one.” She didn’t seem that excited about it. 

“I think you look great, really,” Katara complimented her. 

“And I’m just gonna take their words for it.” Toph laughed. “So, Suki, when are you going to get dressed? You’ve been saying it’s getting late for a while now.”

The girl moved frantically across the room. “I told you that, for me, makeup _always_ comes before getting dressed, Toph. Otherwise my dress will get stained or wrinkly.” 

“So... I basically did everything backwards, huh?” Katara started to doubt herself. 

“You’ll survive, don’t worry. Just do your hair and then quickly apply some makeup. I’ll help if you want,” Suki reassured her, holding up her yet to be put on dress before her. 

Katara moved closer to the mirror once again. “I think _quickly_ is the key. Just wait some more and see how the boys start calling for us to get downstairs.” It shouldn’t take long for her to do her staple hair loopies.

“Okay, so moving along everyone! We _definitely_ want to be ready before them just to be able to call them out for it later. Let’s get to work!” Top urged everyone. 

As the girls speeded up their pace, their chattering became more and more frenzied. There wasn’t much time left before the re-coronation ceremony and they still had some serious dressing up to do. 

“Guys, _seriously?_ There are five of us and only three of you, but we managed to be here quicker!” Katara’s voice echoed all across the first floor of the house. 

“Hurry up, slackers!” Toph shouted.

Before any girl could say anything else, the sound of footsteps rushing down the stairs filled the room. 

“We’re here! There’s no need to lecture us on punctuality,” Aang rapidly said.

“Yes, _please_ , stop it. It’s still early, we are not going to be late.” Sokka brushed them off, with his brand new powder blue tunic framing his steps. 

Suki smirked. “Sure, sure. The tunic looks good on you, by the way,” she said to her boyfriend. 

Sokka pridefully smiled before taking a moment to look at her. His expression showed that he also found Suki’s attire very flattering. Her dress was a metallic brown gown with a one-shoulder bodice and a beaded waistband. Katara had helped her choose the piece and she had to admit her friend looked absolutely stunning in it 

“Well, you don’t look too bad yourself.” He walked up to her smiling. “Glad to have you as my date tonight.”

The waterbender rolled her eyes. “ _Cute_ , can we go now? I really don’t want to be late and Iroh is probably waiting for us outside.” She tried to move everyone towards the doors. “Wait a second, where’s Zuko?” 

“I’m right here.” The Fire Lord was the last one to rush down the stairs. “So, are we ready to go or not?” 

“All set, let’s go!” Ty Lee led the way as everyone started walking out of the house. 

Katara noticed a pair of eyes subtly staring at her. She tilted her head around to meet Zuko’s sharp glance. She decided to mess with him a little. “How come the Fire Lord be the last one ready? Did that headpiece give you a good fight?” Her smirk was unmistakably intentional.

He let out a playful sigh. “You have _no_ idea. Now try picturing your brother offering to help me style it.”

A giggle escaped her mouth as she imagined how messy the ‘Boy’s getting ready’ time had probably been. 

“Yep, about as tedious as it sounds.” He softly smiled. “Let’s just hope the ceremony is at least more fun than dressing up for it.” 

She distinguished Iroh waiting for them at the entrance of the house. The gentle rays of the afternoon’s sunshine keeping him company. _We’re luckily not that late._

Katara slightly nudged Zuko as she left the entryway behind. “I guess we’ll have to wait and see”

King Kuei’s re-coronation ceremony went smoothly. It had taken place on the outer court of the Royal Palace, inside of the main ceremonial building. The Earth Monarch looked delighted to be officially reinstated once and for all. The group had occupied a prime seat as some of the guests of honor. It was definitely great for all of them to see that their multiple efforts during the war were ultimately paying off. 

Once the ceremony was over, all the guests were directed to the main hall of the palace where the celebration was about to take place. 

Katara walked through the vastly decorated hall. The Earth King had certainly made whoever planned the party outdone themselves. She had been in that exact spot before, for Bosco’s- the royal bear- birthday, but this time it seemed different. Maybe it was the absence of war or the corruption of the Dai Li’s, or simply because the place was now completely gleaming. An elegant chandelier glistened above their heads, closer to the walls there were tables with food and an exquisite flower arrangement as the centerpiece for each one of them, multiples sofas and cushion provided extra sitting space and at the very end of the hall was a slightly raised dais with a throne for King Kuei on top of it. In the right corner of the room, a group of musicians had already started playing some ambiance music to welcome the invitees. 

“I believe King Kuei was certainly excited about his re-coronation. This seems like a lovely event, I just hope they serve some decent tea.” Iroh’s voice snapped Katara out of her stupor. 

Zuko smiled at him. “Uncle, I’m sure they do. Now, how would you like to help me do some diplomatic work around here? I want to brush off those formalities right away.” 

Toph laughed. “I hope you are just talking about your Uncle, Sparky. Because I’m heading straight to the snack bar.” 

Sokka nodded in approval. “Suki, care to join us in this noble quest for food?” He gently grabbed her waist. 

The girl lovingly rolled her eyes. “Sure, how could I say no to such a knight in shining armor?” 

Before Katara knew it she was left alone with Aang, who had somewhat of a nervous look in his eyes. The boy was wearing the usual Air Nomads robes but had clearly made an effort to dress them up for the occasion. She noticed he had grown quite a lot in the last few weeks, he was almost at her height now. They simply stood there for a moment, admiring the fanciness of the view. 

Aang started to move his feet from one side to another, restlessly. “So, Katara, I’m surprised I didn’t tell you sooner but you look really nice tonight.” His voice was tinted with twitchiness. 

She smiled at him, tenderly. “Thanks, Aang. I’m glad I got this dress, at first I thought it was a bit of an overkill but the girls convinced me.” 

He carefully grabbed her hand and gave it a little squeeze. “Come on, let’s have some fun,” he said as he led her to the center of the hall. 

She had almost forgotten how reassuring Aang’s presence could be. After the tragedy at the Medical Center, she had pretty much shielded herself off from him. It was almost ironic, though, how easy it had been for her to open up and allow her vulnerability to be seen in front of Zuko, compared to the strong front she had been trying to put up for Aang. The boy she had rescued from the ice, the Avatar, the person who loved her dearly. But then, the same person that used to be the despised face of the enemy for her, had managed to win her trust with no warning. Well, actually, there had been many warnings, multiple opportunities where the unexplainable rush of emotions she felt when he was around her had been foreshadowed. But she still didn’t feel prepared for it.

No matter how hard she tried, Katara didn’t seem to feel the same unfathomable electricity around the boy that was holding her hand in that exact moment. And it frustrated her to the very core. Aang’s touch was sweet, familiar, and comforting, but it lacked something that she wasn’t quite able to put into words. Something she had surprisingly started to discover in a person she wasn’t really supposed to get so close with. That simple yet puzzling realization conflicted her in every way possible. 

_Can’t you just focus on living the moment?_ she thought as Aang offered her a glass of tangerine juice. _This is not the time or place to start analyzing your feelings._

“So, what should we do know?” She asked him as she took a sip from her drink. 

He looked around. “Well, I would ask you to dance but apparently it’s not the moment yet.” He made a cheesy grin. 

Katara smiled. “Don’t worry, I’m sure it won’t take long for these people to gather around the dance floor.” 

She distinguished Iroh and Zuko talking to what appeared to be some Earth Kingdom politicians. The Fire Lord seemed to be playing the part to perfection. 

“Avatar Aang, Master Katara! Pleasure to meet you, really.” Out of the blue, a young man approached them. 

The two of them exchanged a surprised look. “Hi, nice to meet you. And you are...?" Katara asked. 

“I’m Peio, a scholar from Ba Sing Se University. I’ve just started giving some lectures on the culture of the Air Nomads and I just couldn’t resist talking to The Avatar himself about it.” He looked at Aang. “If you don’t mind, of course.” 

Aang certainly didn’t seem to mind, as his face had instantly lit up at the mention of his people. 

Peio wasn’t bluffing at all, he definitely knew his share of Air Nomads culture. Katara stood there listening to the two of them talk for quite a while, enjoying the expression of happiness and pride that took over Aang’s face. She remembered the talk they had that dreadful Saturday, how excited he seemed about restoring his culture and showing it to the world. He had even said he wanted to restore all the Air Temples, right? That sounded like a venture suited for The Avatar, after all. 

“... And Master Katara, do you have any ideas for the temples?” Peio asked.

_What? How badly did I zone out?_

“The temples you say? Um, well, I’m not sure if that’s my area of expertise.” Her voice showed the exact hesitation she was feeling. 

“Avatar Aang was just telling me about your idea for an Air Nomads culinary showcase. I have to admit, it’s brilliant. So I was just curious about what your input on the restoration of the temples might be.” 

_My input is literally nonexistent at the moment, but sure..._

“I think it would be great to actually restore them.” She softly padded Aang’s shoulder. “Regarding the logistics, this is your guy. No one knows them better than he does.”

“Well, _of course_. But I’m wondering if your ideas could really rejuvenate its spirits.” He sounded genuinely interested for her opinion on the matter.

Aang softly laughed. “Give her five minutes and she’s running the place. I’m sure next time we cross paths she’ll basically be the head of the operation. Right, Katara?” He looked at her with sheer enthusiasm, waiting for her to be just as excited as him for the plans. 

“Um, I really don’t know if I’m the right one for the job but, sure, I could give some advice if needed. They are urbanizing my tribe at the moment, so I would probably learn a thing or two from visiting there. And about the Air Temples, I have a feeling Aang would love to restore the Southern Air Temple first.” 

The mention of which particular temple to restore first seemed to be enough to draw Peio’s attention away from Katara’s input in the restoration. “The Southern one? That’s one of my personal favorites... Any reason why?” he asked Aang.

As the two of them carried on the conversation about the Air Temples, Katara looked around to see if she distinguished any of her friends nearby. Her gaze didn’t take long to gravitate towards a particular pair of golden eyes. Zuko was just across the room, sitting on one of the comfy-looking sofas next to Toph and Sokka. It surprised her to notice Mai wasn’t anywhere near him, although she had to admit those two hadn’t been particularly close for the last few days. 

_How long have I been standing here already?_ She thought as she kept looking in their direction. It must’ve been a considerable time, as Zuko seemed to be done with the political chitchat for the moment. She stared at him across the hall. The Fire Lord’s robes made him look older and more cold-blooded than what she knew he really was. In direct contrast, his expression was soft and somewhat carefree, which wasn’t all that usual on him. He seemed to be enjoying the conversation with his friends. 

Just when she was starting to realize she might have been staring for a little too long, he caught her looking. His fiery eyes met hers and Katara could’ve sworn time stopped for a second. Before she could look away, Zuko made a light yet playful smirk. He seemed to be checking in with her, asking her with his eyes how good of a time she was having. At that exact moment, she decided to join him, Toph and her brother. The conversation about the Air Nomads wasn’t boring but she didn’t feel quite in her element, and the whole thing about her running the restoration project had made her somewhat uncomfortable. She smiled at Zuko, gesture him to wait a minute, and tilted her head to look at Aang. 

“Hey, I’m gonna go check on the others. See you around in a bit?” she asked him.

The boy seemed a tad disappointed. “Um, sure, go.”

She looked at Peio. “It was a pleasure to meet you, good luck with your lectures.” She politely said, before leaving his now empty glass in the nearest table and starting to walk away. 

When Katara got to the other side of the hall, the others seemed to had been waiting for her. 

“Sugar Queen! Left the chitchat to join the actual fun?” Toph greeted her. 

She smiled. “Of course, Toph, I couldn’t last one more second without you. Where are the rest of us?” 

Sokka let out a sigh. “Mai, Ty Lee, and Suki are out there socializing with a bunch of Earth Kingdom girls. We just wanted some good food and a place to sit.” 

“I left Uncle talking with some businessmen about tea varieties. I was trying to get something to drink when I spotted these two fooling around,” Zuko added. 

Katara frowned. “Fooling around? Toph, Sokka! What trouble are you two already getting yourselves into?”

“Hey, hey, I promise we are _not_ guilty. I have no idea of what you are accusing me of now, but I didn’t do it, okay?” Toph laughed. “Relax, Sugar Queen, we are just playing Dare.” 

“Dare? What do you mean?” 

Sokka intervened. “It’s basically daring the other person to do something dumb or embarrassing, we take turns. The ones that are not being dared get to choose the challenge for the other. So far we’ve got Toph to talk to that guy.” He pinpointed a shy looking Earth Kingdom boy. “And Zuko to pretend he’s not the Fire Lord in front of a waiter.” 

Zuko laughed. “ _That_ was a waste of a dare, Sokka.”

“So, what do you say? Care to join the fun group for a change? We were just about to start another round,” Toph challenged her.

She simply smirked. “Toph, I think we’ve stablished that I can be fun _a long time ago._ Count me in.” 

It was definitely a silly game, but a great way to pass the time. Between sitting on the sofa and standing up for a dramatic effect at the moment of deciding the dares, some laughs and a bright spirit were guaranteed. 

Toph was the first one to be dared. Katara, Zuko, and Sokka considered that challenging her to get a fashion recommendation from a stiffing looking lady sitting close to them would be fun enough to watch, giving how little love Toph held for the matter. She even ended up getting the address of the supposed best seamstress in town. When she sat back on the sofa, she stuck her tongue out to them, complaining about how she almost got bored to death. 

Sokka’s dare didn’t involve any socializing, instead, he had to eat a very rare, very spicy kind of jalapeño. At first, he seemed charmed with the task, baffling about how easy it was. But the moment he put the vegetable in his mouth he practically ran for his life, searching for something to drink. It wasn’t the most original dare of all times, but it was entertaining enough. 

Once it was Zuko’s turn to be dared, Katara already had a suggestion. The idea had gotten into her head when she first noticed the shift of rhythm in the music and some people heading to the center of the hall. 

“Guys, I think we should ask him to dance,” she burst out as soon as her, Toph and Sokka got in a little circle to brainstorm possible dares for the Fire Lord. 

“To dance? Don’t you think it’s too much of an easy dare? I know you wanna be gentle with him, but not _that_ gentle,” Sokka hesitated. 

Toph seemed to be more on board with the plan. “Actually, Sparky would surely _hate_ to dance in front of all these people. We all know he can be a bit of an awkward people person.” 

She viciously smirked. “So, dancing it is?”

Sokka threw his hands up in the air. “Sure, you win. Let’s tell him.” 

Katara ran up to him, a dangerously glowing look in her eyes. “So, _your majesty_ , we’ve decided your dare. You have to dance. Go ahead, we’ll admire your gracious movements from here.”

Zuko’s expression turned livid. “Oh, no, definitely not. I’m _not_ doing that. There’s no way I’m getting in the middle of all those people. That’s _too_ embarrassing.” 

Toph grinned. “See? I told you he would hate it!”

Sokka frowned. “Buddy, it’s an easy dare. Come on, you can do it.” 

“You can’t say no, you know the rules,” Katara insisted. 

Zuko suddenly seemed more relaxed. “Actually, I _can_ say no. Look at the people dancing, notice anything in common? They are dancing _in pairs_. You simply dared me to dance, and I can’t do it without someone to dance with. And I don’t think anyone is magically coming to ask me to do it. So... I win.” A triumphant expression took over his face. 

“That’s not fair! You’re cheating, coward,” Katara complained. 

“Hey, I’m just following the rules,” he said with a smirk. 

“You said no one is _magically_ coming here to dance with you, right?” Toph’s voice had a dangerous ring to it. “But Katara hasn’t been dared yet... Sugar Queen, I dare you to dance with mister awkwardly Sparky over here.” 

_Wait, what? That was not part of my plan!_

She felt her cheeks turning red. “It’s not my turn yet! You can’t dare me to do that.” Her words came out a little louder than expected. 

Zuko quickly backed her up. “Yeah, Toph, you can’t make up new rules just to mess with people!”

Toph stretched out in the sofa she was comfortably sitting on. “Sokka, what do _you_ think? Am I making up the rules or simply having some fun?” 

Sokka hesitated for a moment, looking at his sister. “Well, Katara, I have to admit you haven’t been dared yet. And it really is an easy dare guys, it’s _just dancing.”_

Toph laughed, with a mischievous smile on her face. “So, double dare then?” 

“Double dare it is.” Sokka laughed along, clearly not noticing how nervous his sister had suddenly gotten. 

Katara still tried to find a way around it. “But I’m not that good at dancing, I’ve barely done it a few times!”

“No buts sist, I’m sure your majesty here knows some moves. Come on, it’s no biggie,” Sokka prompted them to get going. 

“Yeah, you said you were _fun_ , right Sugar Queen? Show us!” Toph urged them. 

Zuko and her exchanged a hesitant look, both clearly wondering how to make the first move. Sokka was right, it was _just_ a dance, it shouldn’t be that big of a deal. Then why was her heart suddenly racing inside her chest? 

Before any of them had a chance to complain again, a new song started playing. 

_Great, this is simply fantastic, it’s even slower than the previous tune. Just breathe, it’s only dancing._

“Hurry up a new song just started!” Sokka shouted, only to push them off to the dance floor. 

Katara was able to hear Toph’s final remark as she walked next to Zuko. “Oh man, this game is way more fun than I thought! Come on, let’s enjoy the show.” 

_Toph, sometimes I really wish I could ground you like a five years old._

By the time they got to the dance floor, Katara was a complete handful of nerves. A million things started spiraling down her mind despite her best efforts to stay calm and collected. They stood still for a moment, staring into each other’s eyes, not entirely sure of what to do next. 

“So, you really have little to no idea of how to dance?” His voice managed to keep her grounded. 

She blinked, nervously batting her eyelashes. “Um, yeah... So, just for once, I’ll do as you say.” 

He carefully grabbed her right hand. “Let’s see, keep this hand holding onto mine, okay?”

She nodded, trying to conceal her flinch at the warmth of his touch. Had time suddenly slowed down? 

Zuko made a soft smile. He held onto her left hand, placing it on his shoulder. “There we go, you’re all settled. Just one more thing.” He gently placed his free hand on her waist. “Now we’re good to start.” 

The two of them began moving along the rhythm of the song that had just started playing. Katara followed Zuko’s delicate movements, the way he firmly planted one step after another in perfect harmony with the melody. She quickly got the hang of it, and her attention started shifting from her motions to her feelings. She was actually dancing with Zuko, something she would have never believed to be even possible not so long ago. It all seemed a little too surreal. And her heart was apparently extremely aware of it, Katara felt it beating - every single pound in her chest. 

It didn’t take long for everything else to become blurry through her eyes, all the scenery and people around them seemingly dissolved. All she could think of was the way their fingers were intertwined, the warmth of his touch on her waist, the softness of the shoulder she was resting her hand on. His golden eyes were firmly locked into hers, silently guiding her movements across the dance floor. 

“You know, I wouldn’t have guessed you barely knew how to dance.” His eyes were glistening as he talked to her. “I think you might have a natural talent for this.” 

Katara let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. “If you say so, I don’t know. Although you actually seem to be quite in your element. Don’t get me wrong, but I genuinely never pictured you as the kind of guy that thrives on the dance floor.” 

“Oh, you know, being the crown prince for many years apparently has its long-term benefits,” he said before making a playful smile. “Just a warning, but I’m gonna give you a little twirl now.” 

Before she even had time to respond, he gently twirled her around, bringing her a little closer when he pulled her back in. Katara definitely noticed this closeness. She could feel his breath running down her neck, their proximity seeming louder than ever. It wasn’t the first time that there was so little space between them, although now it felt slightly different from the other times. Katara couldn’t quite understand why, but it definitely felt more intense than ever. 

It hadn’t been too long since the last occasion in which she was this close to him - that crazy Saturday night. Then why did it seem like there was something else there? Maybe it was because she had just started to make amends with her own emotions, only now beginning to accept the underlying feeling that had been chasing her for longer than she would prefer to admit. 

“By the way...” His voice stopped her train of thoughts. “You look beautiful tonight, Katara, for real.” 

Her heart somehow pounded even faster in her chest. Zuko wasn’t the first one to compliment her that night, but he certainly was the only one that had managed to get her pulse racing like that. 

She timidly squeezed his hand, the one she hadn’t let go at any moment, as she felt her cheeks starting to burn like wildfire. “Thanks, Zuko. You don’t look too bad yourself,” she replied with a bright smile spread across her face. 

She noticed the way his eyes widened at the sight of her grin, glowing as he also smiled. Every nerve in her body was aware of how close they were. Every second that flew by made her want to treasure that moment for the rest of time. She felt at ease there, moving along the rhythm of the music and holding onto Zuko as if nothing else mattered. 

But how does a moment last forever? 

Just as they seemed to had lost track of all space and time, simply enjoying their little fragment of infinity together, the music stopped. The sudden silence made Katara feel uneasy. They stood on the dance floor, in the middle of the crowd, still holding onto each other. Neither of them seemed all that eager to move apart from one another. 

A slightly loud cheer made them tilt their heads. The noise was coming from one of the sides of the room, not too far away. Katara distinguished Toph’s mischievous grin from across the hall. 

Zuko and her exchanged one look and quickly let go of the other. As they were walking together to where Sokka and Toph were supposed to be sitting, Katara realized that the whole group was there waiting for them.

The look on Aang and Mai’s faces was less than displeased. 

_Oh, no. Spirits, no! This is the last thing that I needed right now._

Sokka and Toph immediately started laughing. “See? I told you it was no big deal!” Her brother said. 

Toph’s expression was of utter triumph. “You should have seen your faces as you walked back here, priceless. I swear you two could serve as the main entertainment for tonight.”

Katara bit her lip in hopes of concealing how nervous she was. “Haha, _hilarious,_ Toph. Now you go and dance with someone, check out how easy it is.” 

“Sorry Sugar Queen, I’m not in the mood. Game’s over,” the girl merely answered. 

Ty Lee intervened. “You guys were playing Dare, right? Shame that I missed it.” 

“Toph, next time we’re playing your dares will be near _impossible,_ got it? You can’t just keep twisting the rules as you please!” Zuko complained. 

“You mean _bending_ the rules, Sparky?” The earthbender smirked. “I hate to break it to you, but I can’t help it. Besides, it’s just a game, don’t you two get so flustered about it.” 

The Fire Lord let out an exasperated sigh. “ _Unbelievable._ Okay, Toph, consider yourself the winner tonight. I need to get something to drink.” 

He stormed away followed by Mai, who didn’t look as amused with the game as the others. The rest of the group went back to talking nonsense about Bosco and his new custom made robe. Aang stayed quiet, thoroughly looking at her. 

Katara decided that some light chitchat could be her savior. “So, Aang, did you and Peio talk about anything else?” 

She was apparently right, because Aang’s expression turned brighter the second he heard her bring up the subject. 

“Yeah, he is definitely looking forward to the restorations.” His voice showed excitement. 

“Great, I’m glad. He seemed like a nice man.” 

Aang started to move his feet around from one side to another. A hint of nervousness was detectable in his eyes. “So... I was thinking we never got the chance to dance. I know you _just_ did but...”

She smiled at him, extremely relieved to see he wasn’t upset about her dancing with Zuko. “Of course I’ll dance with you, Aang. Don’t be silly.” 

As she walked by his side to the dance floor, she realized her heart wasn’t furiously pounding in her chest. She felt relaxed and ready to have some fun with someone she cared about. Why dancing with Aang seemed trivial to her, but just the idea of dancing with Zuko turned her into a jittery mess? Deep down, she knew why. Although she was still holding back. She had sold to herself the idea that Aang deserved a chance. And he did, of course, he did. But she started to wonder if some things, _some feelings,_ simply couldn’t be manipulated. She had been trying _so_ hard to develop a connection with Aang that she might had overlooked something that was already there, waiting to be seen. 

_No. I can’t think about this now. I can’t hurt Aang. I can’t hurt anyone. I need to focus on what I have_ , she said to herself as she stood in the center of the dance floor. _I’m having a great time so far, let’s not ruin it because of one inconsequential dance with Zuko._

When the first notes of the tune started playing, she decided to drop the subject. It was a celebration, after all, not an overthinking contest. 

But was it all that hesitation _really_ just because of one simple dance? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!
> 
> This chapter is pretty long compared to the previous ones, but I really hope you all enjoyed it.   
> Also, I wanted to give a quick shoutout to my friend Ana who helped me decide which flowers would be embroidered into Katara’s dress. I know, it sounds like the tiniest detail but it actually took me some time to decide. So, Ana, you told me tulips are your favorite flowers and that's why I picked them. Thank you for always listening to me ramble about this story. Love you! 
> 
> And thanks to all of you for reading this! You are deeply appreciated.   
> Until the next update! 


	17. Golden Eyes Don't Lie

The sounds of laughter and music were slowly dying down on the Earth Kingdom’s Royal Palace. A first batch of attendees had already left the great hall where the re-coronation celebration was being held. It wasn’t that late, though, and the gang was still there, enjoying the final moments of the party. 

And what a night had it been. Zuko stepped onto one of the two balconies that connected with the hall. The sky was completely clear, the starts glittering like crushed glass against the darkness of the nocturnal airspace. Maybe he just needed a minute to himself, away from all the hustle. He leaned his elbows on the railing and closed his eyes for an instant. 

He remembered Katara’s soft laugh as the two of them were dancing. It had actually surprised him how relaxed he had managed to seem during the whole thing. Of course, he had been internally a lot less than calm. His heart had been furiously racing for the entirety of their dance, as a million things spiraled down his mind. The warmth of her touch had stuck with him for the rest of the night, dictating his every movement. For a couple of minutes everything else besides them had disappeared. And he had loved every second of it. He knew the dance had only happened because of a game, but it still felt like _something_. Something truly meaningful. Why was he feeling like that? The answer was there, in the back of his mind, waiting to be accepted. 

_I have accepted it, right? I mean, I know I’m clearly a little confused about the way I feel for Katara. But that doesn’t mean I should do anything about it._

There wasn’t really much for him to do about those complicated feelings anyways, or at least that was what he believed. There were already too many things to take care of. Still, he wasn’t sure how long he would last before going crazy with all those emotions bottling up inside of him. On top of it all, he still hadn’t come up with a way of telling the group he was leaving. And he didn’t have much time left. The party was already at the verge of ending and he knew they couldn’t stay in Ba Sing Se forever. He _had_ to begin his search at one moment or another. There was no point in delaying it even further. He just wished there could be a way for him to figure it all out. 

A familiar voice made him open back his eyes and turn around. 

“Needed some fresh air, Sparky?” Toph walked up to the railing. 

“Maybe. Although, apparently I wasn’t the only one.” He replied. “What’s up?” 

She lifted up her shoulders. “We were thinking of heading back to the house in a bit and we weren’t sure where you were so I came out looking for you. We’re not leaving right now though, so you can stay here with your air for some extra time if you like.” 

“Thanks, Toph. I think I might just do that.” 

The girl plummeted down onto the floor, letting out a sigh. “What a night, huh?” 

He frowned before sitting down next to her. “It was a pretty good party, I’ll give you that. I still can’t believe you actually forced me to _dance,_ for Spirits sake. Not your nicest move.” 

Toph pushed her elbow against his arm. “Oh, come on! Are you seriously going to pretend you didn’t enjoy every second of it?” 

Disbelief caused Zuko to lift his eyebrows as he felt his cheeks turning bright red. “What? What on earth are you talking about, Toph?” His voice had started to shake despite his best efforts to avoid it. 

She simply bursted out in laughter. “You’re in too deep, aren’t you? I may be blind, but I’m not _that_ blind, Sparky.”

His eyes widened as an overwhelming nervousness took over him. “I... I have _no idea_ what you’re trying to point out. Whatever it is, drop it. Drop it, _now._ ” 

“You really think I don’t notice the way you act around her? Zuko, do I have to remind you that I can tell when people are lying? And when their pulse gets faster? It’s the most obvious thing _ever_ and I’m genuinely surprised no one else has realized it yet.” 

“Oh, please, enlighten me about my own feelings. What is it so painfully obvious for you to simply overlook?” He knew he was being somewhat harsh with his friend, but his defense mechanism didn’t seem to have time to consider toning down his reaction a bit. 

“I’m sorry to break it out for you but you _clearly_ have feelings for our girl the Sugar Queen.” She padded him in the back. “And don’t even try to deny it, you know I can spot a lie from a mile away.” 

He felt lost for words. It shouldn’t surprise him that Toph figured him out so quickly. After all, the girl knew them both pretty well and he hadn’t been particularly careful about it. But he had never expected his emotions to come to the light. Not unless he actively intended to, of course. It was all a little too confusing at the moment. 

Zuko let out a frustrated sigh, locking his eyes onto the floor as if it would give him any clue of what to do. “Congratulations, you’ve managed to made me feel even more worried now. I don’t care what you think you know, you can’t tell _anyone_ , okay? I’m serious, please don’t.” 

“Are you kidding? I’m your friend, Sparky, I wouldn’t do that. I know it seems like I take everything a bit too lightly, but these are your feelings we are talking about. It’s not my place to interfere. Well, beyond getting on your nerves about it.” 

“Thanks, Toph.” He lifted up his sight to stare at the night sky. “At least now that you know we can discuss how stupid I am, together.” 

“Why would you be stupid? I mean besides everything else, of course.” She gave him a little nudge. “So you like Katara, what’s the big deal?” 

He folded his arms across his chest and gloated with a laugh. “What’s the big deal? She’s with Aang, I’m with Mai and we’re _just_ friends! I shouldn’t be having these feelings for her.” 

Toph scoffed as her smirk gave a response of its own. “Oh, I’m sorry, you and Mai? I don’t mean to be rude but good for you for telling me about it because otherwise I would have never guessed it. And we _all_ know Aang has been head over heels for Katara since day one. But that doesn’t exactly mean _she_ is.” 

“Don’t you feel bad for even saying these things? Aang is my friend, he trusts me, he even asks me for advice on where to take Katara on their little dates for Spirits sake. How would he feel if he found out I’m confused for the girl he’s crazy about?” He made a pause. “And for the record, Mai and I are actually kind of dating. I already let her down once, I’m not exactly looking forward to do it again.” 

_But I’m about to take off to Gaipan anyways. Agh, that’s definitely going to let her down, isn’t it?_

“So you decide to let yourself down instead, huh? Bright call, Hotman. Look, I’m certainly not saying you should go ahead and write Katara a love letter, but you could try not to be so harsh on yourself about it. If you have feelings for her, then that’s it, you’re already screwed.” 

“Well, that surely lifted up my spirits. I just don’t know what to do. Every time I see her I just feel... I don’t know, I feel _good_. You know? And I don’t ever want to stop feeling like this. Except for a tiny little detail: she can’t know I feel that way about her. Actually, no one else can know.” 

“... And we’re now running in circles, ladies and gentlemen. Seriously, it doesn’t sound like you can magically change the fact that you like her, quite a lot if you ask me. But I’ll admit it, it’s a tough situation.” Toph let out a sigh. “Why don’t you give it some time? Between us, I’m not sure if Katara likes Aang that much. And about Mai... that’s your call to make, buddy. You do what you think will hurt her the less.” 

_The thing is I don’t have any time left. I’m leaving, soon. And I don’t even know how to tell any of you about it... Wait, what did she just say about Katara?_

It took him a moment of hesitation before he spoke again. “Do you really think Katara doesn’t feel the same way about Aang?” 

“I’m gonna be honest here, I can’t exactly read her mind but I’m not really getting a lot of romantic vibes from her when it comes to Twinkle Toes. And just a couple of days ago I interrupted a conversation between you two and you seemed pretty comfortable with each other, if you know what I mean. So despite how much I like Aang and Mai, the idea of Katara and you being a thing doesn’t sound too crazy for me. Maybe one day you could even confront her about your feelings.” 

“Thanks, I guess. I just don’t know how I would even start if I could tell her. But I can’t do it now, so you’re right, I’m screwed for the time being. But it’s good to know you have my back on this.” 

She placed her hand on his shoulder, padding him in a not so gentle way. “Of course, Sparky. You’ll figure it out, you’ll see.” 

He smiled before speaking. “Enough about me though, what is going on in that head of yours?” 

Toph seemed to hesitate for a moment. “Actually, all your sentimental talk got me thinking about what your uncle said about the future yesterday. It’s kinda crazy, isn’t it? We could do whatever we want.” 

The future, such a funny thing to deal with. He felt a sting of guilt on his chest, knowing that his friend was oblivious to his upcoming departure. His mother being alive, the search he was about to start, his puzzling feelings for Katara... There seemed to be a lot of things he was keeping to himself recently. And he hated it. 

“Yeah, it feels weird. For so long we only cared about the war, now it seems surreal to be talking to you about feelings and hopes for a future we suddenly have. What are _your_ hopes by the way? You didn’t really talk about it back then.” 

“Oh no, don’t try to get me all mushy and sentimental.” Toph made a brief pause. “I don’t know, really. I guess I would like to know if my parents are okay.” Her voice sounded more serious. 

Zuko’s eyes widened with surprise. “For real? I thought you hated them or something.”

“Well, let’s just say our relationship is not the smoothest. They never quite understood who I really am. But still, I know I hurt them when I ran away, and I could try to stand them for a week or two. Just to check in on them, you know?” 

“I think you’ve got nothing to loose. Who knows, it might be worth the hassle if it gets you a second chance with them.”

Toph shook her head. “Eh, maybe we’re getting a bit ahead of ourselves. I’m not even sure if I’m in the mood to deal with them anytime soon.”

“You’re right, I’m sorry. I guess I really am a little too mushy and sentimental tonight.” 

She pushed her elbow directly to the middle of his ribcage, nudging him. The gesture caused Zuko to flinch on slight pain, although he was already used to her strange way of showing affection.

“There’s no need to apologize, Sparky, sometimes it’s not so bad to get like that. Anyways, I think we should go back with the others now, they’re probably wondering where we are.”

He quickly got up, thinking about how awfully close the moment for him to tell his team the news was getting. “Right. Um, thanks Toph, really. And remember, not a word about this to anyone.”

The girl had already started walking towards the hall. “Yeah, yeah, my lips are shut. Now come on, I’ve been on this dress for too long already!” 

Zuko let out a small laugh, shaking his head as he began to follow Toph into the hall. Somehow telling her a little about what was running through his mind had made him feel better about it. At least regarding Katara. 

As he stepped out of the balcony a pair of hands stopped him, grabbing him from his side. He tilted his head to the right and realized it was Mai who had blocked his path. 

“Hey!” He was certain his voice gave away a strain of nervousness. “We were just about to go with all of you.” 

Toph turned around with the sound of his voice. “Mai? I didn’t notice you there.” She was evidently surprised. 

The girl put her hands on her hips, looking somewhat impatient. “Yeah, they’re all sitting by the snack bar. Toph, you mind leaving Zuko and I alone for a second?” Her glance shifted to meet his eyes. “I need to talk to you.” 

“Oh, sure. Yeah, I’m leaving right now. Just don’t take too long or we’ll go home without you.” The earthbender quickly replied, already walking away from them. 

Mai didn’t give him much time to think. She simply grabbed him by the wrist, practically dragging him to the balcony. There was a dangerous look in her tawny eyes; they were narrowed, rigid, cold, piercing. 

She didn’t waste any time. “I knew it. I was sure you were hiding something from me-“

He tried to interrupt her, feeling a burning sensation in the back of his head. “What are you tryi-“

“No! I can see it in your eyes!” The usually monotone tone of her voice was completely gone, as it now seemed filled with anger and frustration. “You know what I’m trying to say! I know, Zuko, it’s done! I heard you talking about her...” Those last words came out of her mouth like a whisper. 

Guilt. Plain and absolute guilt. That was all he could feel at the moment. It sat not on his chest but inside his brain. There was no way out now, she wouldn’t just let it slide and he knew it. How ironic, he had talked so much about how scared he was of letting her down once again and that exact conversation had been his undoing. 

He leaned onto the railing with a defeated look in his eyes. “But how?” 

“I wanted to see where you were. Of course, I found you. What I didn’t expect was to find you talking to Toph about your feelings for _someone else._ ” Her voice angrily trailed off. 

“I promise I can explain. It’s not what you think. I didn’t mean for any of this to happ-”

Mai scoffed as she rolled her eyes. “ _Not_ _what I think_? How stupid do you believe I am? Let’s see, you and I are just _kind of_ dating, you feel ‘good’ around her and you don’t want to let me down again. Well, guess what? You _just_ did!” 

“I’m sorry. I really am. I never intended for you to find out this way.”

“You know what’s the worst part?” She seemed a little misty-eyed. “All the signs where there, all of them. It was so damn obvious but I just didn’t want to believe it. Joke’s on me, I should have known things couldn’t go back to the way they were before.” 

“What do you mean?” He had decided to not waste any more breath on excuses, she deserved better. 

“I’ve seen you two together, there’s just _something._ Never could quite put it into words, but a part of me always suspected it. Still, besides the way you feel for Katara.” Her voice got muffled when she mentioned the waterbender’s name. “ _We_ are not the same. The last few months changed you, tremendously. And I think they changed me too. It’s not shocking to see we’re slowly drifting apart.”

He tilted his head to look her straight in the eyes. “I know. It’s not that I don’t like you, it’s just, I don’t know. It’s like you said, we’ve both changed, _everything_ changed. And Katara... You’re right about that too, I can’t help what I feel for her. But nothing happened between us, I promise, I wouldn’t do that to you. I really care for you, Mai. I’m sorry if I hurt you.” 

“You know what? You already broke my heart once. I’m just glad this time I was able to realize the truth before you got a chance to do it again.” 

He felt a lump on his throat. “I’m sorry...”

Her voice softened despite the coldness that persisted in her eyes. “It’s fine, for real. I know this time you didn’t mean for it to happen. But it still did. And I can no longer pretend like everything’s normal after this.” She made a pause that felt eternal. “I’m not coming back to the Palace with you, Zuko. I think I have to follow my own way. There’s no way for me to go back there and sit around acting like things are what they used to be. I’m not doing this to punish you for having feelings for someone else, I’m doing it for myself.” 

His eyes widened in surprise. “Where will you go?” 

“My aunt has a flower shop at Royal Caldera, she’s been offering me a position as her assistant ever since I ran into her at the dinner. Keith and the rest of the group still live there, so at least I would be around friends.”

Zuko remembered the gentle looking guy he met at Ukano’s dinner, along the rest of Mai’s old friends. He recalled the bright look on her face when she talked to them. She was going to be okay with her aunt. After all, she was right. Things weren’t the same. And she wasn’t the only one not returning to the Royal Palace once they left Ba Sing Se. 

He carefully placed a hand on her shoulder, in an attempt to show her he still cared despite no longer having that kind of feelings for her. She flinched at his touch but didn’t push him away. 

“I think that’s a great plan, Mai. I just want you to be happy. You know you can still count on me for whatever you may need, right?”

“I know.” The coldness in her eyes was practically gone, but a strain of sadness was still detectable in them.

“Are we okay? I’m aware of the fact that I was a complete jerk with you more than once but-“

“We’re good, really, don’t worry. Luckily for you, your stupidity doesn’t kill me.” She made the smallest smile as she said it. 

“I’m glad to hear that. Thank you for understanding.”

“What other choice do I have? I’m not about to whine about it. And don’t worry, I won’t say a word about your feelings for her.” 

“Thanks, that would be an absolute disaster.” He scratched the back of his neck. “I guess I really am stupid.” 

Shaking her head, Mai gave him a little push, gesturing him to go back into the hall. “Come on, let’s go with the others.”

As the two of them stepped out of the balcony into the now dying hustle of the party, Mai turned around to look directly at him. “You know, I’m not even sure why I’m saying this to you but I think she feels the same way. It’s painfully crystal clear. Don’t give up on her just yet, okay? Because _then_ I’ll have to kill you for being too utterly stupid for your own good.” 

Before he had a chance to even articulate a response, she turned back and rushed her pace towards their friends. “Just think about it.” She said as she walked away, leaving him even more confused than before. 

Zuko stood in the middle of a declining sea of strangers, watching as the girl he once loved made her way towards the person he was currently losing his mind over. What a night had it really been, after all. 

The gang was back at their temporary home in the upper ring of the metropolis. Under a sky of perfect past-midnight velvet, the whole group was unwinding outside. It had been a long but fun day and for some reason they all had felt like sitting down on the backyard, enjoying the nocturnal summer’s breeze and chatting about the celebrations they had just gotten back from. 

Despite being surrounded by the laughter of his friends, Zuko felt uneasy. He was having trouble processing the recent events. Mai was leaving, Toph knew about his feelings for Katara, and he still didn’t have a clue of what to say. Time was running out, his Uncle was ready to departure to the Fire Nation, and he simply felt out of moves. He hadn’t calculated exactly how hard it would be for him to come up with a way of admitting he wasn’t planning on returning to the Fire Nation. Specially without giving away the true motive of his departure. 

“Guys, I have something to tell you.” Mai’s voice snapped him out of his spiraling mind. She seemed serious, and he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at her, silently begging for a clue of what her next words could be.

Suki frowned with curiosity. “Spill it, girl.”

Mai took a deep breath before speaking again. “I’m not going back to the Palace with you all. I’m gonna go live with my aunt, not too far away, she owns a flower shop at Royal Caldera.” 

_Oh, so that’s what you wanted to say. I’m not sure if this helps me or makes things even more complicated._

“What, you mean right now?” Ty Lee seemed particularly saddened by the news. 

Mai made a soft half smile, trying to downplay the matter. “Yes, right now. Well, I’m not coming back with you guys.”

“But why?” Suki asked. 

Zuko flinched at the possibility of Mai telling the truth about what had recently influenced her decision. He knew that she had probably been considering for some time already, but the idea of her exposing his deepest feelings to everyone simply paralyzed him. 

“It’s just something I have to do. Some of my old friends are in the city, and I could use a change of air. I’ll be working in the shop with my aunt. I’m actually really looking forward to it.” Her response was sincere even though a key part of her motivation to leave had been left out. 

Ty Lee engulfed the girl in a hug. “I’m gonna miss you _so_ much!”

“Yeah, don’t forget about us, the most annoying group you’ve probably ever met.” Sokka added. 

Mai seemed surprised by their reaction. “I’m not moving to the moon, it’s not like I’ll never see you again. You could visit me if you’d like, too, I’m sure we can make some room at the shop.” 

As the rest of the group wished her the best on her upcoming move, Zuko’s eyes found their way to those of a certain waterbender. Her glance seemed to carry on a lot of questions. He knew it wouldn’t be unusual for her to wonder why he didn’t seem surprised by the news, given that it was supposedly his almost girlfriend who was moving away. Still, he stayed quiet, asking himself if maybe it was his time to be sincere. 

“Actually...” Suki’s voice quickly got everyone’s attention. “Ty Lee and I have been talking about it and we think it’s time for us to go, too. We have to at least check in on the other warriors.”

Zuko watched as Sokka’s face became one of absolute anguish. He noticed Katara had carefully placed a hand on top of her brother’s forearm, in an attempt to make him feel better. 

“We wouldn’t need to be away for too long, anyways. We just have to get back in with the training.” Ty Lee didn’t take long to reassure. 

“So this is an unexpected turn, who would have guessed you all would choose the middle of the night to announce you’re leaving.” Sokka bitterly remarked. 

Suki looked at him, softly grabbing his hand. “Now that the war’s over there’s no need for us to stay on Kyoshi Island all the time. We can get together with any excuse you like.” 

Sokka squeezed his girlfriend’s hand. “It’s fine, we’ve been wanting to pay a visit to our family anyways, right Katara? I think it’s time to go to the South Pole for a while.” 

The waterbender didn’t seem equally sure of the idea. Her eyes nervously met Zuko for a moment before glancing back to her brother. “Yeah, with the urbanization of the tribe and all that, it wouldn’t hurt to visit them as soon as possible.” 

Despite being determined from the start to go on his search alone, the idea of Katara being so far away didn’t sit well with him. It caused him to feel a burning sensation on his chest and a lump on his throat. He realized he had certainly underestimated how much he would miss having her near. She wasn’t even gone yet, and he felt as he was already longing for her. 

“Oh, what the hell.” Toph exclaimed. “You know what? I might as well join your little club.”

“What?” Aang asked, surprised at her outburst.

“I’m leaving to Gaoling! Since you all decided to take off, I should do something useful in the meantime. I’ll try to stand my parents for some time, see if they are doing alright without me.”

Zuko was surprised by her decision, although she had indeed mentioned her desire to check on her parents earlier. “Are you sure about that?”

“Yeah, it’s better to get it out of my way sooner than later. But don’t worry Sparky, I’ll surely be banging on your door in no time, I don’t think I could last too long with them.” 

“Toph, I knew you had it in you. They’ll love seeing that you care for them.” Katara rapidly backed her up, looking proud of her friend. 

“Yeah, yeah, let me get back to you in a week or two. We’ll see how much they love me by then.” 

Before Zuko had a chance to say anything about his own departure, Aang’s voice echoed in his ears. 

“... And I’m going to the Northern Air Temple! I want to restore all of them, and I’m guessing the mechanist and Teo would love to help. I even met a professor from Ba Sing Se University who seemed to like my restoration plans. Figured that now would be as good of a time to start as any.” He seemed definitely excited.

“Aang that’s great! I’m sure Peio would love to help you.” Katara said. 

“We’ll do such a good job at it! Katara, you _have_ to be there when we start. Please, tell me you can come with me as soon as possible.”

An awkward silence had made its way to where the group was sitting. Aang’s words had been a little to pressing, Zuko thought. It was one thing to be excited for your own projects, but it was a whole other deal to intend to drag someone else into them. He saw this one coming. Katara loved helping at the Medical Center, why would she give it all up to restore some ancient buildings? Unless, of course, her love for Aang was stronger than they all suspected. 

“I don’t know, Aang. I’m not sure that’s where I’m supposed to be.” When she finally spoke, her words came out like a whisper, revealing a strain of uncertainty. 

Aang’s expression turned blank. “What?” There was a hint of sadness in his eyes.

Sokka didn’t take long to interfere. “We need to see our family. She’s staying there with me for as long as she needs, Aang. We haven’t visited the tribe in a long time.” 

A realization hit Zuko’s mind. He didn’t think twice before interrupting the awkward scene that had started to take place as the rest of the group silently observed. 

“Wait a second. Does this mean none of you are coming back to the Palace?” He couldn’t believe he was actually asking them this. 

Everyone else exchanged a couple of stares before looking back at him.

Mai was the first one to speak. “I don’t think so.”

“What on earth? How come we’re all suddenly leaving?” Toph apparently couldn’t believe it either.

“Yeah, sorry buddy. I guess you’ll have to miss us for some time.” Sokka said. 

_Does this mean I get to walk away without saying a word about my plan? Uncle will not believe me when I tell him about this._

“No, don’t worry about me. You’ve been more than helpful for the past few weeks. I just wanted to make sure.”

“It won’t be for too long though. At least I’m not about to try to restore all the Air Temples at once, there’s other things to take care off.” Aang still seemed a little upset about Katara’s resolution. 

Zuko decided to call it a night before he could have a chance to screw things up. He had been lucky enough to be able to avoid exposing his plan for the time being. _Everyone’s leaving_ , he thought, still in shock.

“Why don’t we go to sleep now and talk things through tomorrow? I bet you’re not in such a hurry to say no to some tea and pie, huh? I’m too tired to keep talking about this.” He suggested.

Everyone seemed to agree with the idea. As he stood up from the ground, he thanked the stars for buying him some extra time with his secret. Just when he was stepping inside of the house he noticed Aang talking to Katara, clearly not in the greatest mood of all time. She had a downhearted expression on her face. Toph and Mai’s words about her resonated inside his mind. What if they were right?

Already in bed, Zuko reflected on everything that had happened in just one night. How the hell had he gotten away with keeping from the team the fact that he was also leaving? _There’s no point in telling them now_ , he repeated to himself. He had to find his mother and the less people who knew about it, the better. Still, he felt bad about the group splitting up. He knew they wouldn’t take long to be reunited again. But it still seemed weird. 

He noticed Aang hadn’t come back to the room yet, unlike Sokka who was already out like a light. Perhaps he was talking to Katara. It was extremely late, though, what would they even talk about? _It’s none of my business_ , he thought as he tried to fall asleep. 

_Katara_. He was definitely going to miss her like crazy. He had expected to have a few more days to spend with her at Ba Sing Se. Time had ran out a little too quickly... Unless there was a way for him to still be able to do so. No, there wasn’t. He had to stop letting his feelings for her cloud his judgment. 

With a million things running through his mind, he firmly closed his eyes, determined to go to sleep once and for all. He shouldn’t be feeling so confused on the verge of starting his search. By the time his mind dragged him into the oblivion of sleep, he had already battled his emotions for longer than he would ever like to admit. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!  
> I hope you all had a great weekend - an extra long one if you are from the US.  
> Just wanted to quickly check in. I know it´s been longer between updates but the chapters are pretty lenghtier so I hope it makes up for the wait.  
> Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you so much for reading! <3


	18. Let's Meet Somewhere That Is The Most Far From Goodbye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter starts with its fair share of angst, but fear not because it slowly tones down throughout the rest of it. I know, I know, I just had to. It is also considerably lenghtier than the previous ones, hence the later update.  
> Anyways, enjoy it! And, as always, thank you for reading! 

There was nothing reassuring about the way things were unfolding. 

The nocturnal breeze made her hair sweep across her face. An unexpected shiver went down her spine despite it still being warm outside. Katara stood still, watching as Zuko was the first one to rush to the house. Why was he in such a hurry to go to sleep all of the sudden? Specially after all that had gone down just seconds ago. She still wasn’t sure how to feel about it. 

Just as she was getting inside, wondering how she would manage to fall asleep instead of spending the whole night overthinking, she felt a sudden grip on her arm. 

“Katara, wait.” Aang’s voice cut through the night air like a sharp blade. “Can we talk?”

She looked at him with sleepy eyes. What could he want to talk about? Although it wasn’t so surprising. She didn’t feel like going to bed either. Too much had happened. 

“Um, yeah. Can it be inside, though? I’m getting a little cold out here.” 

“Sure.” He led her into the living room. 

No one else was there. They must have all went to sleep, as it was undeniably late. When she was comfortable enough on the couch, she decided to voice her concerns. 

“So... What did you want to talk about?” She asked in a careful manner. 

“Listen.” Aang seemed uneasy, his eyes swirling around and scanning the entire room. “I just wanted to know... Are you planning on coming with me to restore the Air Temples or not?”

Silence stroke like a hurricane. Katara needed a minute to herself, to think about what _she_ wanted. She remembered the conversation she had with Sokka not so long ago. _“You haven’t committed to him.”_ Her brother’s words spoke the truth. She didn’t _have_ to participate in the restoration plans. In fact, she was pretty sure she didn’t even want to. Then why was she feeling so guilty about it? 

“Aang.” She made sure he was looking at her. “If I’m being honest, I don’t think so. I have to go see my family now, the timing is right. Everyone’s doing their own things, I couldn’t let Sokka all alone.” 

“But you could come after you visit the South Pole!” He insisted. “You could come with me, we can do it together. The project would probably have already started, but you could still join me a little late.” 

“I’m not sure if that’s what I should do. I also have the Medical Center to go back to. And there’s other things _I_ could do other than restoring temples.” 

He gawked with an apprehensive frown. “The Medical Center? Wasn’t that a temporary thing? Wait. Do you want to eventually go back to the Fire Nation, really? Why?”

_Do I?_ She flinched at the memory of the old lady she couldn’t save. Despite this, she knew she would always have a place at the Healing Wing, next to Rya and her other fellow healers. She also remembered the multiple opportunities she had been able to get involved with politics and help with the making of crucial decisions for the future of not only the Fire Nation but the entire world. Was the Fire Nation really such a bad place to be? Definitely not. She could have her doubts regarding what she actually wanted to do beyond the immediate future, but healing people at the Medical Center sounded a hell of a lot better than spending spirits know how much time restoring the Air Temples. That just wasn’t her place. She was certain of it now.

“I’m not sure of what I _eventually_ want to do, Aang. But I know this, what I do at the Medical Center makes me feel great and so does my more diplomatic work. Why would I discard them from my future so quickly?”

“So you’re saying that helping me restore the Air Temples, my people’s culture, just isn’t as important for you?” His voice was tinted with exasperation. 

“What? No!” She carefully placed a hand on his shoulder. “What you want to do is extremely important. I’m proud of you for it. I just don’t think it’s what I’m supposed to do. We have so many things we could do, it’s not so easy to decide.”

“ _Fine_ , then you go your way and I’ll go mine. I _have_ to restore the temples. And I can’t wait for you forever.”

“Nobody is asking you to wait for me. But it’s not like we’re never going to see each other again, don’t be so drastic.” 

“Katara, I thought we would be _together_ by now. Really together. I thought you would be happy to embark on this project with me, but I don’t see that happening anymore.” His voice sorrowfully trailed off. 

“But we _are_ together! What are you even trying to say? We’ve been going on dates for the last two months, we’ve been spending a lot of time just the two of us and-“

“And we can’t do that anymore, not like this. Not with me busy with the restorations and you down there at the South Pole or at the Fire Nation. Either we are together or we are not. I’m tired of this middle ground.”

_What?_ She had been so focused on trying to convince herself of being in a relationship with Aang that the idea of him being the one to suggest otherwise hadn’t even crossed her mind. He loved her. Everyone knew it. _She_ knew it, that had been the whole point of giving him a chance despite how hesitant she was about it. Then why would he do this to her now? It wasn’t fair. 

She took a deep breath before speaking. “What middle ground? _This_ is a middle ground for you? I have been trying to be there _with you_ for every moment of the last few weeks!” 

“Yes, _this_ is a middle ground. We act like we are together, but then you won’t even consider for _one second_ the plan of coming with me to the Northern Air Temple.” His voice started trembling. “I’ve spend the last year waiting for you. And I could wait for you longer if you would even give me the slightest hint that you’re planning on doing this with me. But you just don’t want to, don’t you?” 

Katara shook her head in a mixture of utter disbelief and sheer uneasiness. “I... I don’t. I’m sorry, Aang. But I don’t think that’s what I need to do.” Her voice turned into a whisper. “Still, that doesn’t mean we have to do this.” 

Aang moved to the side of the sofa, establishing an additional distance between the two of them. Katara let her hand fall onto the soft fabric of the couch. To her distress she realized that his mind was made up. 

“I thought so.” His eyes were filled with sadness. A strain of disappointment could be heard in his voice. “It’s okay, Katara. We’ll go our separate ways for now. I _have_ to do this to honor my people and I don’t want to wait any longer, who knows when I’ll be needed for the greater good again. It has to be now.”

She sensed her eyes growing misty. Was she actually sad or mostly angry? _Disenchantment_. That’s what she felt. The countless hours she had spent repeating to herself that she should be more thankful for Aang’s love, the way she had suppressed her feelings for someone else, all that painful hesitation, and for what? For him to let her go just like that? It seemed surreal. 

Her whole body tensed as she realized how deeply upset she was. “Are you serious? Do you really want to _‘go our separate ways’_ because I won’t give it all up to restore the temples with you?” 

“We _have_ to. I don’t know how long it will take. Do you think I want to be apart from you? _I don’t._ I wanted us to be together, but I can’t stand this anymore. Not right now at least.”

“Do you have _any_ idea how hard I’ve been trying to make things work between us? How much effort I’ve put into _this_?” Katara bit her lip when she realized she was on the verge of screaming. Everyone else was asleep, she couldn’t let her frustration get the best of her. 

“I did the same! I asked you to come with me just minutes ago! You say we don’t have to be apart but you don’t seem to mean it. I love being with you, Katara. But I think this is what we need right now.”

_“Are you sure you love him in the same way?”_ Sokka’s words kept invading her mind. She wanted to break down into tears and voice all her feelings out loud. _I really tried_ , she thought, fighting back the tears. _I tried to be in love with you, Aang. I’m sorry it turned out this way._

Still, she remained quiet. There was no way for her to speak her mind without hurting the boy that she had tried so hard to connect with. Silent tears started streaming down her face despite her best efforts to avoid it. 

Aang stood up, looking straight at her. He had a defeated look in his eyes. 

“Nothing?” He made a brief pause, as if he wasn’t sure of what to say next. “I just want to be certain, so for the last time I’m going to ask. You are _never_ planning on joining the restoration project with me, aren’t you?” 

Katara shook her head. “No, I’m not. _I’m sorry.”_ She dragged herself to her feet, still looking at him. “But you’re right, it’s not what I want to do.”

“I see.” He nodded. “You’ll go your way and I’ll go mine.”

“Spirits, Aang. Don’t be like this, _please_. We’re not going to spend months without seeing each other.” 

“But we are on different pages, you just said it yourself, you are _never_ going to join me on my plans. I really want you to come with me, but I can’t make you do it. For the moment we have to be apart.”

_Where did things go so wrong? Did I just lost a friend?_

She felt a lump in her throat. “So this is it?”

It couldn’t be happening. Not after all the effort she had put into convincing herself that he deserved a chance. But not even all the chances in the world can make up for a lack of feelings. She wasn’t in love with him, never had been. Then why did she feel so broken-hearted?

“For now.” Aang tried to smile, his eyes were misty as well. “I think I’ll always be waiting for you, Katara. But we can’t keep this up, it hurts. I have to go to the Northern Air Temple, whether you are coming with me or not.” 

Sadness, anger, frustration, relief. Katara was feeling one too many things at the same time. An unexpected need to scream was also there. She was a little too confused to come to terms with her own emotions. 

_Say something. Just say something,_ she repeated herself. Still, she was lost for words. 

She noticed Aang had started walking straight to the main entrance of the house. 

“Aang, what are you doing?” She couldn’t believe he was about to walk away from her. 

He looked down at the floor, moved his feet from one side to another and finally lifted up his sight to meet her eyes. “I’m going out.”

“Out? Are you kidding me? It’s the middle of the night! We are talking about something important, you can’t just leave!” Her voice got a little louder. 

“Katara, I don’t know what else you want me to say. _I love you,_ but I’m exhausted. I could stay here and beg you to come with me all night, but I think you’ve made your wishes pretty clear. I’ve said it before, either we are together or we are not. Seems like right now the answer is _no_.” 

_I love you too, just not in the way you want. I haven’t even told you this and you’re still breaking my heart._

Aang stood by the door with his hand firmly on the knob. When he opened it, the nocturnal breeze made her shudder. Just as he was stepping out of the house, he turned around to look at her. His brown eyes reflected a great deal of heartache. She knew he didn’t want this even with his mind made up about it. 

“Goodnight, Katara.” His voice sounded empty, as if he had already given up on her. 

She tried to move but found herself frozen in the middle of the room. “Aang, wait!”

Too late. The sound of the door shutting behind him was the only company she was left with. She plummeted down to the floor, struggling to fight back the tears. 

This was it. After all the time she had dedicated to being with him, he was the one to let go. Well, maybe it was because she didn’t have that much to let go off in the first place. She had never pictured them together prior to him making all the first moves. Even then, she had kept hesitating, repeatedly confused about her feelings for him. Although she never confronted him about it. Why? All her energy had been put into tricking her own heart. In retrospective, that had been where she screwed up. Perhaps if she had listened to her gut she wouldn’t be crying on the floor as she tried to figure out why she was feeling so dejected. But she hadn’t. And now she would have to make amends with it.

Katara wasn’t sure for how long she stayed there, sitting in the dark. All she knew was that she didn’t feel like being alone. Sleep was out of the question, there was just too many things running through her mind. 

In a sheer impulse, she stood up and sprinted to her brother’s room. She stood by the door for a second, calculating whether or not she should let herself in. Aang wasn’t there, at least. But she knew Zuko would be sleeping in that same room. 

_Agh, who cares? I just need to talk to my brother._

She opened the door and closed it behind her, careful not to make much noise. Sokka’s bed was just by the window, in front of the other two. With determination, she walked up to where he was sleeping. As she stood by the side of her brother’s bed, she quickly shook him by the shoulders. 

“Sokka, wake up.” Her words were whispers. “Wake up, I wanna talk to you.” 

“Um, shut up.” He grimaced without even opening up his eyes. “I’m trying to sleep.”

She kept shaking him. “Come on, wake up!” 

Finally, he opened his eyes, letting out a yawn. “Katara? What on earth are you doing here? You’re going to wake up Zuko and Aang.” 

She gesture him to move his feet aside, sitting on the bed. “Don’t worry, Aang is not even here. I wanted to talk to you.” 

“Why, did something happen?” He seemed to notice the puffiness around her eyes. It was clear she had been crying. “Are you okay?” 

“Remember when you told me you could see that I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be with Aang?” She chuckled with a bitter expression in her eyes. “Well, you don’t need to worry about that anymore.”

Sokka sat down on the bed, eyes wide open as he looked at her clearly upset sister. “What happened? Did you guys have a fight?”

“I wouldn’t exactly call it a fight, it was more of a really sad discussion. It’s over, whatever Aang and I had going on. He said we could t keep it up, not with him busy with the restorations.”

“What, Aang said that? The same Aang that I know is absolutely crazy for you? No way! He’s probably on his way to tell you he didn’t mean it.”

“No, Sokka, he was serious. He said he thought we would be together, that he hoped I would join him on the restoration project... But I told him the truth. I don’t want to do that. Spirits, I’m not even sure what I really want. I’m just certain that restoring temples it’s not part of it.”

He frowned. “And how are you feeling about it?”

“I can’t believe it! I spent two months trying to convince myself of being with him, two months following his current, putting an effort on making it work, pretending I didn’t have feelings fo-“ She bit her lip, realizing what she was about to say. “I just feel like I did it all for _nothing.”_ Her eyes turned watery. 

Sokka put his arm around her. “But Katara, do you even love him?”

“No, I don’t! Not in the way he does.” A few silent tears started falling down her cheeks. “Which is why I don’t understand why I feel like this. I couldn’t even tell him that! I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

“Hey, it’s okay. Why would you tell him when he had already put an end to it?”

“Because maybe his end is temporary! What would I do then? Well, that’s if he even wants to still be my friend.” Her voice got a little too loud. “I don’t understand. I feel sad and frustrated, but I also feel _relieved._ I’m relieved of not having to admit to him that I can’t love him in the same way.” 

“Keep it low, we don’t want to wake up Zuko.” He took a breath. “Isn’t that a good thing, though? That you didn’t have to tell him.” 

She tilted her head to look at the boy sleeping in the other bed. He seemed less stressed, less pressured while he was resting. 

“I’m not sure, I feel confused. I hate it. All that time I spent persuading myself to love him, it was all in vain. In the end, I ended up being the disposable one.”

“Don’t say that. Aang has always been head over heels for you, he’s not going to throw your friendship away just because of this. Poor kid was trapped in an iceberg for a hundred years, he probably just wants to do something of his own for his people.”

“I hope you’re right.” Shaking her head, Katara let her gaze roam over the room. The window allowed for some moonlight to cripple inside, dimly illuminating the space. Somehow, she felt calmer already. Voicing out her feelings to Sokka had helped her process her emotions better. “By the way, it seems unbelievable that all of the sudden we are all leaving.”

“It is pretty crazy, I’ll give you that. But it was bound to happen eventually. Aren’t you happy to go home, though?” 

Was she happy about it? Of course, she missed her dad and Gran Gran a ton. She also missed the place she’d called _home_ for many years. Only thing was, she wasn’t sure if the South Pole was her _only_ home anymore. There was a number of people that she cared for that weren’t there. In fact, the people she loved the most would soon be scattered all over the world. Still, in that exact moment, nothing sounded more tempting than returning to the place she had grew up in. Yes, she was glad to return home for a while. 

“Of course I am, it just feels weird to decide it overnight. I have a job at the Fire Nation, remember? We all kind of have one.”

“Katara, nobody says we have to stay at the South Pole forever. You are free to decide what to do with your life. It’s just a visit, don’t read too much into this whole ‘the team is separating’ thing.”

“How can you expect me to not read too much into it when Aang was literally _just_ told me we should be apart for some time? I have no clue of what’s going to happen, and it’s killing me.” 

“Relax, things will settle down soon enough. Why don’t we focus on going home now?”

Sokka was right, they didn’t even have a clue of _how_ to go back to the Southern Water Tribe. It was better for her to figure that out before saying another bitter word about any of the other things that were bothering her. 

It suddenly hit her. “Wait, you’re right. I can assure you that Aang is not going to let us borrow Appa for this. We have to come up with something!” 

“What, you don’t think we’ll be able to get to the South Pole with the mere power of our will?” He pushed her to the side with his elbow. “I expected more from you, Master Katara.”

“Hey! Stop!” She laughed, grabbing his shoulder to avoid losing balance. “Careful, or else you’ll throw me off the bed and wake up his majesty sleeping right next to us!” She didn’t notice her voice had gotten a little too loud.

“Shh! You be careful sist, the entire house has probably already woken up because of how loud you talk!” He said with a laugh. 

She put her index finger over her mouth, gesturing him that she would tone it down a bit. “Okay, okay. For real now, how on earth are we going to manage to get to the South Pole? It’ll take us forever on our own!” 

“You know, I could take you to the Southern Water Tribe.”

Katara’s eyes widened as she also noticed how her brother’s eyebrows rose in surprise. Neither of them had spoken those words. She turned around to find Zuko sitting down on his bed, staring at them with a tenacious look in his eyes. 

“What?” He asked as his lips curved into a frisky smirk. “Did you genuinely believe you wouldn’t wake me up? You two were too loud!”

Sokka and her exchanged an embarrassed look. 

“How long have you been awake?” She asked, well aware of the things she had said earlier. 

Zuko got off the bed and walked up to them. He leaned onto the window that faced Sokka’s bed, collapsing on the floor. Sleepy eyes and messy hair, he looked younger than usual without his Fire Lord facade. 

Once he seemed to be comfortable enough on the ground, he proceeded to speak. “Long enough to hear you could use a ride home. Luckily for you, I happen to have the means to do so, you know?”

“And you would be willing to take us all the way down to the South Pole? Really?” Sokka asked. 

The Fire Lord lifted up his shoulders. “Yeah. Unless you don’t want me to.”

“But, why? It’s not exactly on the way to the Fire Nation.” Katara insisted. 

The look on Zuko’s face was one of utter confusion. He clearly wasn’t expecting to be bombarded with questions. Although he didn’t take long to answer. 

“Do you even want a ride or not? I was thinking on heading South anyways, I’ve got a letter from the council advising me to head to the Western Earth Kingdom to sort some political matters out. I don’t mind taking some extra time to drop you off at the tribe. But, hey, if you don’t need me that’s completely fine, I’ll go my own way.” 

“No!” Sokka rushed to say. “Thanks, buddy. That’s very generous of you.”

“No problem, I’m happy to help.” There was still a troubled look in his eyes. 

Katara chuckled. “You know, it wouldn’t be bad for you to pay a visit to the tribe, considering your lack of diplomacy the last time you were there.” 

Zuko didn’t take long to roll his eyes, looking flustered by her words. ‘Thanks, that _really_ makes me feel much better. I’ll consider it though.” 

“Hey, Kyoshi Island is practically on the way home. You think you could also take Suki and Ty Lee there while you’re at it?” Sokka asked. 

“Gaoling isn’t that out of the way either. I bet Toph would appreciate the ride.” She added.

Zuko seemed to hesitate for a moment. Then, he smiled. “Sure, they can come with us. I’ll offer it to them tomorrow morning.”

Sokka had a radiante grin on his face. “Man, you’re the best! Thanks, really. I’ll even get to spend some extra time with Suki now!”

Katara smiled as she looked to the firebender. “Thanks, Zuko.”

“Well, well, well.” Sokka laid down on the bed, slightly kicking his sister to the side, as he let out a yawn. “Now, sist, would you mind giving me my bed back? We have a long trip ahead of us and I intend to be as well rested as possible.” 

It didn’t take long for her to end up on the floor, next to Zuko. He had his head resting on the wall, along with a worn out look in his eyes. Still, a soft smile was spread across his face as he stared at her. 

“How come Aang not be here already? I didn’t think he was such a night owl.”

She let out a sigh, watching as his brother turned his back at them to try and get some sleep. “He’s not. He said he wanted to go out a while ago. I don’t know what got into him.”

The moonlight made the room feel warmer. Its shine reflected on the most random things, like a stack of letters or a pair of shoes. Although the most charming reflection had to be the one that illuminated the small mirror hanging in front of them. If she stretched her neck a little, she could see herself reflect there, just inches away from Zuko. The image seemed like an echo, glittering thanks to the moonlight coming from the window. It was a peaceful view.

“Huh?” Zuko’s voice made her tilt her head. “Is he okay? Are _you_ okay?”

“Yeah.” She brushed him off. “I think so. Let’s just say he wasn’t so happy to hear I’m not crazy about restoring the Air Temples.” 

“I’m sorry about that. Although, if you let me intrude, I think you’ve made a good call there.”

“If you say so... I was just doing what I felt was right.” She took a breath. “I just hope I didn’t mess things up with him. He looked really disappointed, but I’m also mad at the way he brushed me off just like that.”

“Katara, you’re not a bad person for saying no to something that doesn’t feel right for you. You deserve something you don’t have to question at all. So just listen to yourself, huh? You know what’s best for you.”

Her heart started furiously pounding in her chest as she heard those words. Why did Zuko always seem to understand her in such a unique way? He never failed to notice the storms in her eyes, the silence in her voice and the eventual heaviness in her heart. And every single time, he knew exactly what to say. His words comforted her, embraced her, reassured her like nothing else could. In fact, she had perhaps grown a little too attached to the way he made her feel. 

“Thanks, really. I’m trying to do so, little by little. And you deserve the same, Zuko.” She made a pause. “So, Mai was the first one to choose to leave? Crazy, huh?”

_Why did I just say that? What a way to ruin the moment._

He seemed a little thrown off by the question. “Yeah, I guess she also did what she felt was right.” He said with a sigh. 

She gently nudged him in an attempt to dissipate the tension. “Who would have said our little trip to Ba Sing Se would turn out to be so eventful?”

He tilted his head to look at her. “Actually, I think we were fools to expect anything else from this city. Ever since the first time I was here, it has always surprised me in one way or another.” 

The memory of the two of them in trapped in the catacombs crippled into her mind. That had been the moment she had realized Zuko could be more than her enemy. Now, months later, her hunch had proven to be true. He was not only more than her enemy, but he was her friend, her partner in crime, a shoulder to lean on, the boy who had taken a lightning bolt for her and saved her life by doing so, someone that she could trust, and the person that made her heart skip a beat whenever he was near. In a way, Ba Sing Se had always surprised her too. 

“I get what you’re saying, it’s been the same for me.” She let her gaze wonder around her room, stopping to observe her brother. She couldn’t believe Sokka was already fast asleep. 

“At least we get to drink the best tea. And dance because Toph says so. Unbelievable.” He slightly tilted his head, causing his dishevelled hair to cover his golden eyes. He didn’t take long to shake his head to reverse it, and Katara couldn’t help but form a tender smile at such endearing view. 

“Dancing and tea drinking, Ba Sing Se finest, huh? Thanks for offering to take us home, though. You’re more than welcome to stay there for some time if you want.” 

“You’ve _just_ thanked me, there’s no need to do it again. I’m happy to help. And we’ll see about that time at the South Pole, you’ll have to manage to convince me to stick around.” His words were framed with a smirk. 

“Oh, consider it done, _Fire Lord._ And prepare to feel real cold for a while.” She said with a mischievous smile.

“We’ll see about that.” His eyes were glistening. “Don’t forget I’m a firebender, I can keep myself warm.”

“Don’t try to challenge me, we both know I can freeze you in the blink of an eye.” She teased.

“Well, aren’t we daring tonight?” He said, letting out a soft laugh.

It didn´t take long for both of them to get a little sleepy. Despite how much they loved their nighttime conversations, they knew they would have to go to sleep eventually. Katara was specially aware of the fact that Aang could return at any minute and find her there, comfortably sitting on the floor next to Zuko. That certainly wouldn’t be the best scenario, considering how things had complicated between the two of them. She had to go to her own room, and she should do it sooner than later. 

“Hey, I think I should go ahead and let you catch some sleep now.” She suggested. 

Zuko tried to stop a yawn from coming out of his mouth. “I’m not _that_ tired. You can stay if you want, this wall is starting to get confortable enough.”

She smiled. “Even though I would love to stick around and talk some more, I’m really not in the mood to see Aang right now. I don’t want to risk him barging through that door and finding me here.” 

He stared at her for a second before making a concerned frown. “What, is there anything wrong with you being here?”

“What? No!” She felt her cheeks turning red. “I just don’t want to talk to him. We’re not exactly in the best terms, I told you about it. Also, I should go write to my dad to let him know we’re coming. And to Rya to let her know I’m not going back to work for some time.” 

“Relax, I understand.” He smiled, tenderly. “So I guess this is goodnight then.”

She slowly stood up, still looking at him. “It is. Thanks, Zuko, for offering to take us to the South Pole and for the talk. Oh, and sorry for waking you up.”

He didn’t take long to be standing right in front of her. “Nonsense, it was well worth it.”

“See you tomorrow then?” She felt her heart starting to race once again inside her chest. 

“See you tomorrow.” He smiled as he headed to his bed. “Goodnight, sleep intruder.”

“ _Ha._ ” She chuckled, walking out of the room. “Goodnight, slumber lord.” 

She felt herself smiling when she closed the door behind her. There was still a strain of sadness caused by her fallout with Aang, but just a nocturnal talk with her brother and Zuko had been enough to lift up her spirits. Things hadn’t turned out so bad after all. They even had an easy way to get to the South Pole now. 

_Well, you could say today was a really strange day. Or night. Both, probably both._

The Jasmine Dragon seemed like the perfect place for one last group hangout. The liveliness of the place provided a reassuring counterpart to the bitterness of the upcoming goodbye. Sitting on one of the tables by the window, the team chattered about the details of their multiple plans over some great tea. 

As she took a sip from her Red-blooded nephew - a tea she had grown to like much more than initially expected - Katara allowed her mind to slip away from the ongoing conversation. She was already feeling considerably better than before, when her fallout with Aang had just happened. In fact, only moments prior to entering the tea shop, they had talked about it. Ending up with an acceptable outcome. 

“Aang, tell me, are we okay?” She had asked, her voice barely a whisper. It was a complete mystery to her where he had ran off to last night or how long he spent wandering around the streets of the metropolis. No matter how frustrated she was at him, she still cared. She cared for him, for their relationship. The last thing she wanted was for them to end up on bad terms. 

The boy had seemed to hesitate for a moment. When he finally spoke, his tone was colder than usual but not as bitter as when he had told her they should go their separate ways. “Yeah, I’m not mad at you for not coming with me. I’m just, i don’t know, sad about it. I really need some time on my own.”

“Oh, I understand.” Even then, she had to bit her lip in an attempt to conceal the strain of anger that still lingered in her system. “You’re right, we need to spend some time apart. It’s the only way for us to move forward. I’ll still miss you, though.”

“I’ll miss you too, you know that. I just have to focus on going to the Northern Air Temple and planning the restoration project right now. But we’ll be okay, for real.” That had been the last thing he managed to say to her before the rest of the group prompted them to get inside the shop. 

There had been a touch of grievance detectable in his voice, but Katara could tell he spoke the truth. They were going to be okay. Relief overtook her senses as she had found herself feeling like crying once again. This time due to the solace that Aang’s word had brought her. It would take some time for things between them to go back to the way they were before getting caught up in a tangled mess of romantic hesitations. But she had realized she hadn’t lost her friend. They had merely hit a bump on the road. 

Now, surrounded by the whole team, she was definitely feeling better. Everything had already been settled. Toph, Suki and Ty Lee would come with Zuko, Sokka and her on the way to the South Pole. They would drop them off at Gaoling and Kyoshi Island. The three girls had been more than thankful when Zuko had offered them a ride. Speaking of him, the Fire Lord seemed eager to start their trip. He still hadn’t given her an answer on her proposal to accommodate him at the Southern Water Tribe for some time, but she hoped he would eventually cave in. 

“... So, everyone is set up for the journey?” Iroh asked, clearly wanting to make sure they would all be okay. 

“I think so.” Zuko replied. “We’re leaving before sundown.”

“Me too. Appa seems to be in the mood for some nighttime traveling.” Aang added.

“Well, we can leave whenever you want.” Iroh said to Mai. “Are you sure you don’t mind waiting until tomorrow morning?”

“Iroh, it’s absolutely fine. I prefer to travel during the day anyways.” The girl replied. 

One more unexpected thing were the news of Iroh also leaving. The old man was departing to the Fire Nation in order to ‘make sure everything’s running smoothly while my nephew is busy with international affairs’, as he had explained. Katara was surprised by this, as she had never guessed Zuko’s trip to take them home was of such relevance. He had indeed mentioned that the council had advised him to pay a visit to the Western Earth Kingdom. Still, something seemed off about the whole ordeal. 

With Iroh going back to the Fire Nation Capital, Zuko had offered him and Mai to return together in the airship that had brought them to Ba Sing Se. The rest of the group would travel on a typical Fire Nation hot air ballon that the Fire Lord had managed to get his hands on. That way there wouldn’t be any need for them to be accompanied by a large crew. She had no clue of why Zuko wouldn’t prefer to have guards with him, but she was certainly not going to question his decision. She wasn’t too fond of their never ending company either.

Sundown wasn’t too far away, and Katara could feel a lump starting to form on her throat. Holding onto her cup of tea with a firm grip, she tried to quiet her mind to be able to focus more on the moment. It was natural for the group to go their separate ways, it wasn’t the end of the world. And she was still there with them. She straightened on her seat, resolved to make the best of the time she had left with all of them. It was going to be okay. 

Eventually, goodbyes have to be said. They were all at the landing space of the upper ring, ready to part ways. The group headed south would be the first to leave. After placing all her belongings on the ballon, Katara stood at the landing platform, waiting. A part of her knew there was no need to feel too much anguish, it wouldn’t be the last time the group was all together. Even more, she was only really saying goodbye to Aang, Mai and Iroh. Still, the thrill of the moment managed to get the best of her. 

She watched as Iroh and Zuko shared a tender embrace. “Uncle, I cannot thank you enough. I’ll see you soon, alright? Be safe.” The Fire Lord seemed to have gotten a little emotional as well. 

His uncle looked at him with pride. “Nonsense, I’m happy to help. Be sure to write me as soon as you get there. I’ll do the same.” He said to him before giving him one last hug. 

The group stood together, exchanging a couple of warm looks before finally saying goodbye. 

“So, it’s been one hell of a time, am I right?” Toph was the first one to speak. 

“Tell me about it. I can’t believe it’s already been like two months since we ended that freaking war. Time flies when no one is trying to take over the world, huh?” Sokka joked. 

Aang had a serious look in his eyes. “We did good, for real. Now, let’s all get onto some new adventures. But _please_ don’t forget to write often.”

“Oh Spirits, Twinkle Toes, it’s not like we’re all dying. We all know I’ll probably be on my way to annoy one of you soon enough.” Toph exclaimed. 

“Toph’s right. I’m certain I’ll see you all soon.” Zuko said. 

“Well, I’m supposed to be traveling with you. So I hope you’re not planning on getting ready of Ty Lee and I before taking us to Kyoshi Island.” Suki’s voice had an uplifting beat to it. 

“Right, Zuko. Please try to get us there safely.” Ty Lee added. 

Katara couldn’t help but smile at him. “Wow, Fire Lord, it doesn’t sound like they have much faith in you. Girls, relax, I’ll make sure he doesn’t get us lost.”

She noticed Mai glancing over at her with an strange look in her eyes. “You all let me know if he screws up, okay? Have a safe trip.” Her words were accompanied by a light smile. 

“So, I guess this is goodbye for now.” Zuko’s voice had a certain weight to it. 

“Yeah, yeah, Sparky, we get it. This is _sad_ and all. We’ll stay in touch and be sure to regroup in no time. Got it, everyone?” Toph had spoken as fast as possible, clearly not too fond of farewells. 

Iroh laughed when he heard her say those words. “She’s right, you should go now. You don’t want it to be even more late.” 

After a couple of group and individual hugs, they were ready to leave. Katara sprinted to the globe, concentrating on not getting any more nostalgic. Already standing next to her brother, she leaned her elbows on the railing, letting it hold her for the time being. The smiling faces and friendly waves that send her off were enough to confort her in the middle of all the uncertainty the future might hold. For now, she was going back to her family. And she couldn’t wait to see them again.

As the balloon started to rise from the ground, she stared at the horizon. The sundown brought with it a new freshness to the metropolis underneath her. Just like the way the group had started to go their separate ways, dusk seemed to proceed as if it was not quite ready to do so yet. Still, it came with a promise of moonlight and quietness. A new beginning right at the end of the day. 


	19. The Southern Water Tribe

The chilly air had welcomed them to the South Pole not so long ago. The freezing breeze whistled all around the Fire Nation balloon. There was no longer any vibrant colors at sight, only white, a blank page. The closer to the Southern Water Tribe, the more piercing the cold. It was a sharp yet beautiful morning. 

Zuko wondered how he had managed to found himself headed there in the first place. A certain guilt lingered his mind. Wasn’t he supposed to be in Gaipan already? The answer was yes. Was he a million times happier for choosing not to? Absolutely. The moment he had heard Katara and Sokka discussing how they would get home, after being awaken by their laughter, he knew what he wanted to do. It had been impulsive of him to offer to take them to their tribe right away, still, he didn’t regret it. Something inside of him had made him proceed that way, and this time he was willing to listen to his gut. 

Leaning his elbows on the railing, he stared at the polar ground underneath him as his mind wandered off to what his Uncle had told him before leaving Ba Sing Se. Right when he had confessed to him his plans of taking Toph, Ty Lee, Suki, Sokka and Katara to where they needed to go prior to heading to Gaipan. At the time, he had felt utterly apprehensive about this decision, worrying about the delay on his search. Luckily for him, his Uncle had managed to calm him down. 

“I see. It was the right decision, helping your friends will always bring confort to your heart,” Iroh had tenderly explained. “Your search is of the most noble nature, but you shouldn’t allow it to consume you. These people are now your family too, you shouldn’t forget about it. Spending a few extra days with them won’t hurt you or your purpose.”

Still, he had kept hesitating. “But what if I’m just messing things up? I don’t know, Uncle. I don’t even know why I offered to take them in the first place. It was irresponsible and selfish of me.”

Iroh had put a hand on his back before speaking, a reassuring gesture. “Zuko, you did it because it felt right. Sometimes you have to follow your heart and that does _not_ make you irresponsible or selfish in any way. Tomorrow I’m leaving to the Fire Nation, and I’m willing to cover for you for as long as you need. You take your time and find your mother, okay? And don’t forget to pay attention to the things that bring you joy, like I know your friends do.” 

“Thank you, Uncle. For everything. I don’t know what I would do without your help with this.”

The old man smiled. “Don’t thank me, make it worth it. You deserve to be happy, nephew. Go ahead and search for everything that contributes to that happiness.” 

After that conversation, he had felt much better about the slight change on his plans. That same day he had departed on his journey along his friends. A couple of days traveling had been enough to made him feel rejuvenated. Now, it was only him, Sokka and Katara. They had already taken care of dropping off Toph at Gaoling and Suki and Ty Lee at Kyoshi Island. 

He felt the warmth of someone else leaning into the railing right next to him. He tilted his head to meet Katara’s sleepy eyes. 

“Hey,” she greeted him. “We shouldn’t take much longer to get there, you can sleep some more if you want.”

He shook his head, twitching his lips into a soft smile. “Nah, I’m good, just admiring the view. Sokka’s still asleep, huh?” 

“Yeah, I won’t even try to wake him up. It’s crazy, you know? To finally be back here after so long.” 

“I can imagine that. And with all you told me about the urbanization of the tribe, it’s probably even crazier for you now. I’m sure the plans are great, though.” 

“For now I’m just excited to see my dad and Gran Gran again.” She brushed her hand over her mother’s necklace. “By the way, I was serious about you staying here. My dad has made very clear on his letters that he would love to have you or any of the others over. _I_ would love it too.” 

“Katara,” he said as let out a timid sigh. “The last time I was here I wasn’t particularly nice to your people. I’m nervous enough as it is.”

Her eyes widened with stupor. “Zuko, are you kidding me? That was over a year ago, in fact, it was a _lifetime_ ago. Things have changed, don’t you think? Spirits, you even broke my dad out of jail. You saved my life. You’re the new Fire Lord. We ended the war, _together_. I think my people is well aware of who you are _right now._ Don’t you forget about that.”

She had a way of making all his uneasiness disappear. But sometimes the weight of his mistakes got the best of him. Still, he knew she was right. Everything was different now. 

“I... I know. You’re right, it’s just that, I don’t know. But thank you, really, for saying all of that. I’m happy to be able to bring you two home.”

She gently elbowed him on the ribs. “Good for you to understand it. Or else I’ll fight my way into you getting the point.”

“Oh, really? You’ve been up for what, ten minutes? And you’re already trying to get into a fight?” He laughed, amazed at her ability to light up his spirits. 

“Trust me, it’s for your own good.” She paused, taking the time to look at him straight in the eye. “I’m serious now, you really are invited to stay. I mean, just imagine Sokka’s disappointment if you didn’t,” she added with a sarcastic smirk. 

He felt another wave of hesitation taking over him. “Um, we’ll see, okay? I’m just - I don’t want to be a bother. Plus, I have that thing to do and-“

“I get it, I get it,” she interrupted him with a smile. “But don’t be silly, you would never be a bother. In fact, if you’re so worried about getting behind on your work, you could take it as some sort of diplomatic assignment. Just consider it, deal?” 

“Deal.” He smiled. The idea didn’t sound too bad at all. More than that, he liked knowing that Katara wanted him to stay. He actually _really_ wanted to do so. Still, he was doubtful. 

“Good morning you two.” Sokka’s voice disrupted the momentary silence. He sprinted to the railing, looking at the horizon. “Hey! We’re about to get there. Katara, were you seriously not going to let me know?” 

“Hey, buddy,” Zuko greeted him. “Feeling rested?”

“Relax, Sokka, it’s not like we’re landing in a heartbeat or anything. I thought you would prefer to sleep!” Katara replied, looking at her brother with an amused expression on her face. 

“Yes, I’m rested. Thanks, _Zuko_ , for actually caring about me.” He stuck his tongue out to his sister. “And no, I want to be as ready as possible to meet dad. They’re probably going to need help with the urbanization plans!” 

“Okay, okay, _sorry._ And don’t you dare say I don’t care about you. Or I’ll throw you off the railing.”

Zuko let out a soft laugh. “Well, isn’t a wonderful morning? I’m just dazzled listening to your two lovely voices as you shower each other with so much sibling love.” 

“You want love? Let’s see. Why don’t we all brainstorm some ideas for the urbanization, huh?” Sokka proposed, clearly eager to get home. 

The suggestion turned out to be a good way to pass the time, in between the glacial view and the icy wind. As he laughed with his friends, Zuko felt surprised at how warm the Pole could be. 

When he set foot on the firm, icy ground of the Southern Water Tribe, Zuko took a deep breath. He inhaled and exhaled the chilly air that surrounded them. Luckily, his firebending prevented him from getting actually cold. Still, he liked how it felt to be in the middle of all that frostiness. 

He carefully watched as the two siblings hugged their dad, ending up in a wholesome family embrace. Their grandmother didn’t take long to hold them in her arms too. He stood still, maintaining a certain distance. It was a heartwarming moment and he didn’t want to intrude. Once the immediate thrill of the family reunion had simmered down, he noticed Hakoda and Kanna staring at him. 

The chief was the first one to approach him. “Fire Lord Zuko, it’s a pleasure to welcome you to our tribe,” he greeted him as he extended his hand. 

The boy immediately shook it, smiling at him. “Chief Hakoda, it’s a delight to be here. Please, just call me Zuko.” 

“Only if you do the same.” He padded him in the back. “I can’t thank you enough for bringing these two home.” 

“Dad,” Katara interrupted. “Let him say hi to Gran Gran too.” 

Kanna looked over at him, a soft smirk spread across her face. He walked up to her, trying to conceal the nervous look framing his eyes. Once he was close enough, he offered her his hand. 

“Hello, Ma’am. How are you?” He made sure to make the warmest of his smiles. He desperately wanted to gain her respects. 

As she greeted him, the old lady thoroughly scanned him from head to toes. “I’m perfectly fine, young man. I’ve heard a lot about you in these last few months, it’s very nice to see you again,” she said with a smile. 

_‘It’s very nice’, great, I’m in the clear,_ Zuko thought as he kept his smile in place. Everything seemed to be running smoothly. 

“Zuko, we were hoping you would join us for lunch. It’s the very least we can do,” Hakoda said, his words accompanied by Katara and Sokka’s enthusiastic gazes. 

“Buddy, you know you can’t say no,” Sokka remarked. 

“Of course. I will, thank you, that’s very kind of you,” he replied. The idea of a home cooked meal sounded amazing, and having the chance to spend some extra time there produced a warm sensation on his chest. 

“Great! Now, let’s unpack our stuff,” Sokka urged. “Dad, you _have_ to tell me everything about the urbanization project. Wait, do you already have plans? You wouldn’t believe how much my drawing skills have improved...” The boy excitingly led everyone back to the balloon. 

He must’ve had stood there for a moment, staring at the place that saw his friends grew up, because Katara didn’t take long to give him a gentle nudge. 

“Hey,” she said, with a bright smile on her face. “You coming? I can give you a tour later if you want.”

He couldn’t help but smile, charmed by her never ending tenderness. “Actually, I would love that. Come on, let me help you take out your stuff.” 

As the two of them followed Sokka’s lead, Zuko thought about how incredible was for him to be there. He was walking next to Katara, walking across a snow covered ground and surrounded by a breathtaking view. The tribe was relatively small and cozy even surrounded by so much ice. It seemed surreal to be visiting the place, waiting to have lunch with Sokka and Katara’s family. Surreal but great. He had instantly liked it there. 

“Gran Gran!” Katara exclaimed, sprinting into the kitchen area of the hut. “You made sea prune stew, I can smell it! Zuko, you are going to _love_ it, she makes the best stew in the world.” 

Zuko stood in the entryway of the family home, it was so different to his home. Despite being constructed from ice, the inside seemed warm, with a bamboo flooring and pelts preventing the cold from spreading all over the house. An old man was waiting for them next to the table. He didn’t take long to recognize him. 

“Pakku?” Katara rushed to hug him. “It’s so good to see you!” 

Sokka quickly joined them. “I was already wondering where you were. Gran Gran’s necklace looks great, by the way.” 

Katara ran up to her grandmother, determined to give the jewelry a better look. “Right, I can’t believe I almost didn’t notice it. Good job. Gran Gran, I have to admit I approve.”

The old lady brushed her off, smiling. “I wasn’t aware that I needed your approval, my little waterbender.”

Zuko walked up to Pakku to shake his hand. “Master Pakku, a pleasure to meet you again.” 

“I feel the same way, young man,” he replied. “How’s your uncle doing? I should pay him a visit soon.”

“He’s great, thanks. Right now he’s at the Fire Nation Capital, making sure everything’s running smoothly and helping out during my brief absence.” 

“What a diligent old man. Make sure to give him my regards if you see him before I get the chance. We’ve been doing some hard work over here as well.” 

“Wait, Pakku, are you helping with the urbanization project too? Dad, come on! You’ve got to fill me in all the details!” Sokka exclaimed, clearly eager to help. 

“Let’s eat first, shall we? I can brief you in during the meal, and later tell you all those details that you seem to crave so badly,” his father answered. 

The two siblings nodded in approval, and Zuko couldn’t help but smile at the tenderness of the situation. A small part of him felt like an intruder, but everyone seemed to be happy to have him there. 

The meal went by joyfully, between great food and cheerful conversation. The three travelers listened carefully as the rest of them detailed the urbanization plans. The project was actually called the ‘The Southern Reconstruction Project’ and it consisted on slowly improving the living conditions and the economic situation of the entire Southern Water Tribe. In fact, it had already been put into motion, with renovations ongoing all around the South. With Hakoda as the newly elected Head Chieftain, there was no doubt that the project would be a success. Pakku even expressed his desire for the construction of a Waterbending Academy, now that the South would eventually have many new waterbenders. Katara’s face lit up at the mention of this idea, looking proud of how far her home village had come. As for Sokka, he seemed eager to do everything at once, ready to dive straight into the plans alongside his father. 

Zuko enjoyed hearing all about it. After all that his Nation had put the tribe through, to be there listening to the hopes of a brighter future for it made him realize how worth it everything had been. Even his worst mistakes had led him to that very moment in time. 

He was also engaging in the conversation, finding Hakoda and Pakku’s political views of the world vastly interesting. They even came to mention the possibility of a future International Collaboration between the Fire Nation and the Southern Water Tribe, where the technological companies of his nation would come in handy. The idea captivated him, as he wanted to play a part in the making of a new, better, peaceful world. Thinking about this, he made a mental note to himself to write to his uncle and the council about it. 

Somewhere in between the after-lunch chatting, Katara seemed to decide it was time for the tour. Though Zuko suspected it had more to do with her own desire to explore every inch of her home, since she hadn’t been there in so long. When she prompted him to get up, Hakoda gestured them to wait a second. 

“Zuko,” he said. “I know you’ve probably have already been asked this but these two will murder me if I don’t do it myself. Would you like to be our guest for some time? I would certainly be delighted to have more time to discuss that collaboration we mentioned earlier.” 

The Fire Lord stayed quiet. He liked the offer, but his commitment to find his mother prevented him from voicing out what he wanted. Luckily for him, Katara noticed his uneasiness. 

“Why don’t we give him some extra time to be convinced about it? I’m sure after the grand tour he’ll beg us to stay,” she intervened.

“Sure, just be sure to let me know so we can arrange things around here,” Hakoda answered.

The girl tugged Zuko’s sleeve. “Let’s go then. Sokka, are you coming?” she asked as they got up. 

The boy was nosedived into the urbanization plans, analyzing every little graphic he could find. “I’ll join you guys in a sec! I want to finish checking off these first, you can start without me.” 

“Okay, see you all later!” She waved them goodbye as she grabbed her coat and pushed Zuko out the door. 

Once they were on the outside, Katara gave him a funny look. The subtle breeze made her hair sweep around her face. He found her even more adorable than usual, with her face lit up from the excitement of being back home.

“So where do we start?” he asked. 

“Mmm, let me see.” She twirled around on the spot, looking all over the place. “Well, first things first. This is where Gran Gran, Sokka and I used to live before leaving with Aang,” she said pointing out the hut they had just gotten out from. “From what dad told me on his letters, only Gran Gran and Pakku are there now. He’s got his own place over here, let me show you.” 

He let her guide him through the snowy village, paying attention to each and every one of her explanations. 

“This is it, he told me it was where the old communal kitchen used to be. Now that he is Head Chieftain, his hut also has an office. It´s one of the few things they managed to build since the Reconstruction Project started,” she explained as she showed him.

The place seemed bigger compared to the other huts. It made sense, though, that it would have a larger structure for the Chief. Katara led him inside, eager to take a peak of his father’s new home. It was just as big on the inside, with a small living room on the entrance, a kitchen and dinner area, a separate office and, of course, the Water Tribe standard sealskin tent that served as the sleeping chamber. 

“Whoa, this is amazing! I can’t believe they built it so quickly. I mean, look at all this space!” Katara was clearly delighted with the renovations. 

“I gotta say, it has a nice style,” he agreed. “This is where you and Sokka will be staying?”

She seemed to hesitate for a moment. “I guess so. There’s plenty of room and I’m sure dad would love to have us here. We haven’t slept under the same roof for _years_.”

He smiled. “I’m sure he will.”

“Well, well, enough logistics and more touring! Let me show you our healing hut next.” She grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him outside. 

_I see someone’s excited_ , he though, trying to keep up with her pace. He loved seeing her like that, excited and somewhat carefree. Specially after what had happened at the Medical Center. He wanted her to be happy. It made him feel the same way. 

“I can’t believe Sokka’s Watch Tower has been renovated this much!” Katara’s voice echoed through the stairs leading up to the top of the construction.

“Wow,” he couldn’t help but say. The view from the top had a certain way of taking his breath way. He wasn’t used to seeing all those blue and white hues of color spread all over the horizon. 

She leaned on the window. “You can see everything from up here, right? So, how are you liking the South Pole, Fire Lord?”

He stood next to her, smiling. “I think I could easily grow fond of this place. Now I know why you and Sokka talk about it so often.” 

“You could?” She said with a playful smirk on her face. “Well, why don’t you try accepting my dad’s invitation then?”

“I promise I saw that one coming.” He laughed as he gave her a soft nudge. “So, any places left to show me?”

They had already walked all over the tribe, Katara explaining to him every little detail she could think of. 

“Actually.” She smiled. “There’s one place I could surprise you with, if you feel up for a long walk.” 

“I can do it. Go ahead, lead the way.”

Katara started to make her way downstairs, excitingly rushing through them. 

“Come on! I’m going to leave you behind,” she exclaimed, noticing that he was climbing down at a much slower pace. 

“I see that stew gave you energy for ages, Katara, you’re crazy,” he replied, careful not to trip. 

He finally made it to the end of the stairs, trying to power his way through them just to not give her the satisfaction of pointing out how slow he had been. Jumping down the last two steps, he didn’t notice the waterbender standing right there. He stumbled upon her, almost falling down to the ground. Luckily for him, she was rapid enough to hold him by his arm, helping him recover balance. Her hand was warm in contrast to the cold air that surrounded them. 

_Well, now she can point out how clumsy you suddenly are._

But she didn’t. She just pulled him back up, smiling. For a moment he found himself lost in the ocean of her eyes. He could feel his heart racing inside his chest, moved by the abrupt proximity between them. She still hadn’t moved the hand that had a grip on his arm.

“Sorry,” he timidly said. “I guess you really should have left me behind.” 

“It’s okay, you barely tripped a little,” she reassured him. 

“So, that place,” he mumbled. “Still up for the walk?” 

“Yeah, definitely.” She finally lifted her hand, gesturing him to get out of the tower. “Let’s go.”

Zuko was standing in front of a ship. A Fire Nation ship. Completely decayed. The navy was fully trapped on the ice, anchored at the shore by the will of the cold. It seemed sinister in comparison to the tribe. 

“Wait,” he said. “I’ve seen this ship before.”

“I thought so,” she replied, looking thoroughly at him. 

“Thanks to this piece of metal I spotted Aang for the first time. I remember seeing a flare go up in the horizon. And then the two of you running back to your tribe.” It seemed like a million lifetimes ago. 

“I know.” Her voice was soft, tender. “It’s crazy, huh? This old ship is the reason we first met.” 

“Well, you can't say it was a pleasure back then. Why are you showing me this?” He clenched his teeth. “I don’t mean to be rude but it’s not exactly the best surprise ever.”

“Zuko, relax. I’m showing you this because - I’m not sure, really. I just wanted to.” She made a light smirk. “I thought you would be more excited to admire the stupid piece of metal that brought our paths together.” 

He couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh. “We are definitely the life of the party, huh? I gotta say, I admire your originality.” 

She sat down on the snow, still looking at him. “We’ve come a long way, haven’t we? I’m sorry if it wasn’t a good idea. It’s technically part of the official tour, though.” 

They had come a long way. In that very moment, it shook him how much things had changed. And for the better. So much for the better. A little over a year ago he would have never guessed he’d be sitting there, next to the last southern waterbender, reflecting on the past. Oh, the irony of life. He wouldn’t want it any other way. 

“Don’t worry about it,” he said as he plummeted next to her. “All that crap led me to where we are now. I guess it was meant to happen this way, after all.” 

“You’re right.” She nervously played with the snow around them. “I mean we did it, right? We won. We’re all fine. Spirits, the Fire Lord is sitting on the icy ground of the Southern Water Tribe. What a dream, huh?”

“What a dream.” His eyes met hers. “Your surprise wasn’t so bad, if nostalgia was what you were aiming for.”

“ _Shut up.”_ She pushed him to the side. “It’s supposed to be poetic.” 

“Sure, sure. You keep telling yourself that,” he laughed. 

Her expression turned more serious all of the sudden. “So... have I convinced you to stay already?”

“Um, I don’t know.” He smirked. “Maybe try showing me a different shipwreck, see if it does the trick.”

Despite fooling around, he knew he would have to give her a concrete answer. He was torn between his rational and his emotional side. He _had_ to begin his search, his mind urged him to. But his heart seemed to be in disagreement, as annoying as it sounded like. 

“Come on, I’m serious now. We would all love to keep you around for a little longer,” she insisted. 

_“Don’t forget to pay attention to the things that bring you joy...”_ He remembered what his Uncle had said to him right before leaving Ba Sing Se. It made sense. He had spent so many years chasing after things that were _never_ going to make him happy. He owed it to himself to stick around long enough to appreciate the ones that actually did. It wouldn’t be more than a few days, after all. Maybe it would even help him gain some clarity before embarking on the search for his mother. Who knew how much time that could take him? Who knew when he would see Katara or Sokka again? When he would get the chance to once more feel the way he was feeling right there and then, sitting on the snow? 

_Uncle, I just hope you’re right on this one,_ he thought as he came to terms with what he actually wanted to do. He was going to pay attention to what was bringing him joy, sitting next to him. 

Katara’s eyes glistened as she scanned his face, looking for an answer. He could tell what she wanted it to be.

Finally, he took a deep breath before speaking. “Okay... I’ll stay.” He smiled. “How could I say now after such insistence? Your family has been too good to me so far, I wouldn’t want to let them down. Plus, that international collaboration sounds promising, I’m eager to talk some more about it.” 

“Spirits, that’s great!” She opened her arms to give him an impulsive hug. “We’ll make sure your time here is well spent, don’t worry.”

He felt lost for words. The closer to her, the less he could think. The embrace was short, sweet and exhilarating. When they separated, reality hit him again.

“Just for a few days, alright?” he clarified. 

“Of course, your majesty. We all know you’re _very_ busy running a Nation,” she brushed him off. “Wait until we tell Sokka, he’s going to dance around the hut in excitement.”

“Wait, where’s Sokka by the way? Didn’t he say he was going to join us ‘in a sec’?” He asked, surprised by the absence of his friend. 

“He probably doesn’t have a clue I brought you here.” Katara remarked. 

The sound of footsteps behind them took them by surprise. Although they weren’t shocked by who their saw running up to them. They quickly got up to greet him. 

“Guys, there you are!!! It took me forever to found you! Spirits, Katara, you showed him _this?_ Out of all the things the South Pole has to offer?” Sokka’s voice echoed through the vastness of the snow valley. He had clearly been looking for them all over the place. 

“Hey!” she exclaimed. “You took too long! And for the record, he didn’t hate me for it”

“Hey, guess what?” Zuko said. “I’m going to stick around for a couple of days.”

Sokka’s eyes widened, his lips twitching to form a bright smile. “I knew you would!” He gave him an affectionate punch on the shoulder. “Couldn’t resist the charm of those intricate urbanization plans, huh?”

“Actually, I was hoping we could discuss more about that collaboration your father proposed.”

“Agh, you’re the best, buddy. You’re going to wish you could never leave, you’ll see.” 

“Alright, alright, why don’t we go tell dad about this? It’s going to get dark soon. And you,” she pointed at Zuko with an playful yet accusatory look in her eyes. “You haven’t even unpacked yet, slacker.” 

He rolled his eyes, laughing. “As you say, my lady. I’ll get to work as soon as we get there.” 

“I’ll help him with his stuff. You can make sure he has a hut to stay at,” Sokka said to his sister. 

“Right, that’s probably why dad wanted us to let him know. We better hurry.” She prompted them to start walking. 

“Remind me to write to Uncle as soon as I’m settled in, would you?” Zuko pleaded. 

“Sure, buddy. Let’s head back to the tribe.” Sokka padded him in the back, smiling. 

_Who would’ve guess I would end up here? And staying? I’ve been making some bold choices recently,_ Zuko thought as he moved through the snowy path. There was a lot on his mind, more than his friends knew about. But he was managing to keep some kind of balance. He knew his search was the priority, he could never forget it. Still, sticking around the Southern Water Tribe for an extra days would not only be beneficial to his own happiness but also to the future of his Nation. After what had been a rocky one hundred years, a little peace and bonding was needed. And what better way to do so than to showing up himself. 

He smiled, looking at his friend and the girl he secretly wished could be more than that, being right there and then brought him joy. In the middle of the South Pole, feeling the cold air on his face, he knew he had made the right decision. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We all knew I couldn't pass up the opportunity to allow Zuko to spend some time at the South Pole. He deserves a few days there before embarking on his search. Plus, it leaves room for some fluffier moments. And I'm here for it. I hope you feel the same way!  
> Thank you all so much for reading! As ever, comments and reviews are always appreciated! <3


	20. Days In The Snow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday everyone!  
> This might be my fluffier chapter yet, so I hope you are in the mood for some fuzzy scenes.   
> As always, thank you so much for reading! And a special thanks to those of you who take the time to leave a comment. You know who you are, thanks for putting a smile on my face with your kind words!   
> Anyways, I´ll let you get right into it. Enjoy!

“ _Dear Rya:_

_I’m glad to hear you’re doing okay, and that you don’t hate me for going home for some time. I know, I know, you wouldn’t hate me. Still, we both know it was a pretty rushed decision._

_Can’t believe that little Merin is at the top of his class! You definitely had something to do there, I’m sure the countless hours you helped him study were the cause of his success. Give yourself a little credit for me, would you? You’ve earn it. Also, please, don’t overwork, alright? I may not be there to keep an eye on you but I’m certainly going to find out if you do. And when I get back I will lecture you about it. With much love, of course._

_Things are more than well over here. The urbanization plans are running smoothly enough, with Sokka loosing sleep over every single way he could improve it all. We’re planning on building a waterbending school, how amazing is that? It’s been great to be around my dad and a Gran Gran these last couple of days. I have to admit I missed the South Pole. It may be painfully cold, but it sure is beautiful in such an unique way. You should consider joining me in one of my trips over here sometime in the future. Although, Merin would hate me for it. But oh well, it would be fun._

_There’s also been a slight change of plans. Guess who’s staying with us? Yes, I’m sure you’ve guessed it, Fire Lord Zuko himself. I convinced him to stick around for a few days, since he was kind enough to bring_ _us all the way here. My dad has even got him hooked on the possibility of an international collaboration between the Southern Water Tribe and the Fire Nation. Exciting, am I right?_

_Zuko’s been fun to be around. He just seems so amazed at how different things are around here. Sokka, him and I hang out a lot together, and it just constantly feels like a weird yet amusing staycation. The absence of the rest of our friends is palpable, but it doesn’t bring us down. It's honestly been great just the three of us. Who knows when he’ll take off, though. Probably soon, but I’d rather not think about it and just enjoy my time here._

_I miss you, Ry. And I miss those afternoons working together at the Medical Center. I think I’ll be back soon enough, you’ll see. The future is a little blurry right now to be honest._

_Well, I think that’s all for know._ _Write me soon, okay? And take care! Seriously!_

_With love,_

_Your southern waterbender friend._

Katara stared at the piece of paper, looking over her own words for a minute. Just two weeks ago she was back at the Fire Nation. Now, she was _home_. Well, one of them at least. The word had acquired a whole new meaning for her. She had more than one home at the moment. The Southern Water Tribe, the Fire Nation Capital, The Jasmine Dragon, all those places made her feel welcomed. And it was because of the people around her when she was there. _People are the ones who feel like home_ , she thought, squeezing the letter into an envelope. It was ready to be sent to Rya. 

A sudden knock on the hut’s door made her flinch. It was still early in the morning and she was alone in there. Her dad and brother had gone out not so long ago. She had preferred to catch them later, though, to use her father’s office to write to her friend. 

“Come in! I’m in the office,” she exclaimed, wondering who could be. 

The sound of the door closing was accompanied by a familiar voice. 

“Hey,” Zuko was standing in front of her, a tad messy haired and with a light smile on his face. “I’m glad I didn’t wake you up.”

“No, not at all. I was just wrapping up my letter to Rya.” She shifted in her seat to be able to look at him better. “Did you sleep well? I wasn’t sure if you would be awake yet.”

He walked up to her, slightly leaning on the desk she was working on. “Yeah. And before you ask, for the millionth time, my hut is _fine_. So, how’s your friend doing? You missing work already?”

“Rya is alright, probably overworking as usual.” Katara let out a sigh. “And yeah, I kind of miss it. I mean, I love being here but I also liked it there. And I miss her chatter at the healing wing.”

“I see.” His voice was soft, soothing. “You know you can go back anytime you want, right? Your job at the Medical Center and your room at the palace are always going to be there.”

She felt her cheeks getting red, for no particular reason. “Thanks, Zuko, that’s very nice of you to say. Spirits, the future has gotten crazy, huh?”

“Hey, don’t thank me, you’ve earned it. Your work there has been remarkable.” He scratched his neck as he made a small pause. “And don’t worry about the future, we’ll figure it out eventually.” 

“Yeah, I know,” she brushed it off with a nervous smile. “Want to see what Sokka’s up to? I think he wanted to spend some time with the kids today.”

“With the kids? You mean the children of the tribe, right?” 

“Yeah,” she laughed. “You should have seen him trying to train them as warriors, back in the old days, he’s rather an interesting teacher.” 

“Let’s go see Master Sokka in action then, I wouldn’t want to miss it.” 

Katara stood up, letter in hand, amused at his enthusiasm. “Sure, Fire Lord, lead the way.”

She followed him to the door, making sure to grab her coat first. Once they were out in the cold, she realized they would have to make a slight detour. Smiling, she grasped Zuko’s arm.

“Care to accompany me to the post office? I need to drop this off,” she said, shaking the letter in front of his face. 

Zuko reached for something inside the pocket of his coat. He ended up showing her two envelopes of his own. Katara instantly recognized his handwriting. Apparently, she hadn’t been the only one doing some writing that morning. 

He grinned. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Katara was sitting down on the snowy ground, trying not laugh her heart out. Zuko was next to her with an amused expression on his face. They were both in the middle of the playground area for the kids, which was mostly a secluded and snow covered circle of icy land. Kids surrounded them, looking very confused and somewhat entertained. Right in front of them was Sokka, displaying his full blown mentor attitude. 

“Alright kiddos, first you’ve got to pick up your sheet of wood. You can choose from the ones I’ve got here next to me. The harder the wood, the better,’ he explained as he selected his own sheet from the bunch. The kids quickly followed him.

Zuko’s eyes kept widening with every word he heard his friend say. “Um, are we sure this is a safe thing to teach to children? They look a little overwhelmed.”

His comment made her crack a little laugh. “Honestly, we are _not_ sure. But Sokka wanted to teach them how to be resourceful.” 

“... Remember, this piece of wood is your best friend right now. And no, I don’t care if you’ve already got one, ditch them for a moment, okay? Everybody’s got their own? Great.” Sokka had the most enthusiastic look in his eyes. “See the bucket of paint next to me? Grab a brush and stay close.”

“Spirits, this even involves paint? Katara, we _have_ to do something,” Zuko exclaimed with a sarcastic half smile spread across his face. 

She pushed her elbow into his ribcage, gently nudging him in an attempt to shut him out. “Sh, this is getting better every second.”

“Now, watch me as I do the sketch.” Sokka started painting over the wood, carefully outlining the desired shape. “See how easy it is? Wet your brushed and get onto it. _Please_ keep your lines straight. As I mentioned before, this piece of wood is your new best friend.” 

“I can’t believe we’re watching a bunch of eight years old make their own boomerangs. Really, this is the peak of my existence.” Zuko was biting his lower lip, clearly attempting not to burst into laughter. 

“Remind me again why are we not making one for ourselves?” she amusingly asked. 

“Because we prefer to sit on the lovely cold ground and enjoy the show? Plus, Sokka’s the boomerang guy, we can’t just steal his signature element. You know I’m right.” 

He was speaking the truth. They were enjoying themselves there at Sokka’s little lesson. They were a mixture of emotional support for him and some kind of spectators of the show. She felt lucky to be there. It lightened up her spirits to watch her brother interact with the kids. And it didn’t hurt to have Zuko by her side, his body slightly skimming hers as they laughed together. 

A sting of guilt found its way to her chest as she thought about just how much she loved having him there. Truth was, she didn’t want him to leave. She didn’t want him to be far away from her. And she felt guilty to the core for it. It hadn’t even been a week since Aang had let go of her. How could she had moved on so quickly? Well, deep down she knew the reason. Spirits, he had even revealed it to her brother. She was never in long with Aang. Simple and plain, yet utterly troubling. She had never told him she couldn’t reciprocate his feelings. Once he had made up his mind about going their separate ways, it had been too late to confess. Now, she couldn’t imagine herself being up the matter next time she saw him. The mere idea of admitting it to him made her uneasy. Not to mention the insane possibility of owning up to her feelings for the boy next to her. 

Still, guilt and all, she was there. And she was happy, ecstatic to have Zuko by her side. As she observed Sokka carving out the boomerang’s shape on the multiple sheets of wood, she caught a glimpse of the firebender looking at her. It was crazy to think about the way things were unfolding. But she didn’t want to miss any second of it. 

“Do you all have your boomerangs?” Sokka’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts. “Now grab your sandpaper and get to work. I want those edges perfectly sanded.” He looked adorable overseeing the work of every kid. 

“Hey, imagine you as the teacher but in that future waterbending school. I’m sure you would be great at it. You two seem to have a natural thing for coaching.” Zuko’s eyes gleamed as he talked. 

“You know what? You might be right, now that I think of it. Agh, I'm really excited about the school plans. I just hope we actually get some waterbenders to teach.” 

“You will, don’t worry. With the plans your father’s got for this tribe, I don’t doubt its success in the future.”

“Did you talk some more about the International Collaboration?”

“Actually, we are planning on having a proper meeting about it soon. You know, with actual information from my advisors. That’s what the letters I sent earlier were for, to ask details about which companies would be interested and so on.”

“That’s great! You really did follow my advise, huh? Turning your time here into a diplomatic mission. Very Fire Lord of you.”

“Oh you know what they say, Master Katara, it comes with the title. Just be ready for the meeting, alright? I expect your full support.”

“The Fire Nation wants my support? Who would’ve thought.” A sarcastic grin took over her face as she made a brief pause. “Don’t worry, I’ll be there.”

A small buzz made them tilt their heads to the front. What they found was an overly enthusiastic Sokka, surrounded by even more excited kids. 

“Alright, alright. Who needs help with sketching and sanding the foils?” He asked. 

Every single one of the children lift up their hand up in the air, a confused look amongst them. 

Sokka let out a big sigh, putting own the boomerang he was modeling. “Okay, let’s see. I’ll get to all of you, don’t worry.” 

As they watched the show, Katara and Zuko kept talking about the urbanization of the tribe, the international collaboration, and of course about Sokka’s quest to teach every kid how to make a boomerang. 

A sudden tap on her back made Katara turn around. A little girl was next to her, eyes wide open and an un-sanded boomerang on her hands. 

“Can you two help me sand the foils? I’ve already sketched them but my hands hurt,” the kid asked, eager for some guidance. 

The two teenagers exchanged a look. Katara felt her heart melting over the girl. The child looked adorable with a snow dress and two little braids framing her face. 

“Of course sweetie. Give it to him and guide us through it,” she replied. 

The girl happily complied, passing up the model to Zuko and sitting close to them. “No, not there. A little more to the right,” she commanded. “No, my right. Yes, I like it that way, I want it to look special. I think maybe now a little to the left?”

Zuko was clearly not getting the hang of it, barely understanding the little girl’s directions. “Your left or my left?” he asked. “Yours? Alright, alright. You like it there?”

The kid snatched the boomerang out of his hands, excitingly moving it around to test if she liked it. Katara and Zuko stood still, watching her. 

“So, you think it’ll work?” she asked the child. 

“Yes!” She grinned. “Let me show it to Master Sokka, see if he likes it. Thank you!” 

The girl gave both of them a quick little hug before running to the others, taking Zuko and Katara by surprise with the warm gesture. 

“If Sokka finds out this girl is calling him ‘Master’, he’ll totally flip,” Zuko laughed. 

Katara nodded her head in agreement, smiling as she observed her brother around the kids. It made her certainly proud. 

“Well, now that we all have our boomerangs ready... Who’s ready to give them a try?” Sokka asked. 

The crow of kids cheered in approval, moving around in a clear sign of eagerness to test their new creations. 

“Great,” Sokka replied. “Now, just a few words before we get into it. A boomerang is your best buddy, it is a fantastic companion in any battle, game, or occasion. You should have it with you at _all_ times. You also hav Teo take good care of it, make sure to polish it often and don’t be scared to get creative and paint it the way you want it. You can come to me anytime if you need boomerang advice and I promise you it—“

“Sokka, I think they’ve got it!” Zuko interrupted, with an amused look in his eyes. “Let’s try them, right kids?”

A loud cheer followed his words. Accompanied by an annoyed expression on Sokka’s face. 

“Buddy, are you kidding me? It was the best part of my speech!” he complained.

“If I let you teach me how to swing a boomerang will you forgive me?” The Fire Lord asked in the middle of a laugh. 

“Deal,” Sokka agreed. “Now, kids, I want you all to form one straight line. Stand behind me and you’ll each get your turn.” 

“Um, I would suggest we move. There’s a strong chance of being hit if we stay here in the middle.” Katara suggested to Zuko. 

The boy quickly got up, offering her his hand. “You’re right, let’s sit next to Sokka. We’ll be safer there.” 

She took his hand, holding onto it all the way to where Sokka was standing. The way their fingers interlaced made her heart skip a beat. It felt irrationally warm in contrast to the piercing cold that surrounded them. Smiling, she prepared to clap every time a kid managed to get right the throwing style. Who knew making boomerangs from scratch could be fun? 

The sun was dying down at the South Pole. It was clear by the way the blue hues of the afternoon’s sky slowly turned into purplish strains of color. Bittersweetly cold and humid - an enchanting combination. Katara got out of her father’s hut, holding a coat and a blanket in her hands. She had entertained herself for long enough, watching her brother and dad sketch the plans for a new community kitchen. But the desire for some fresh air had won her over. Plus, she had a hunch. That weather could only mean one thing: it would be snowing soon. 

She marched down to the continuous hut, heavily breathing in the freezing air that surrounded her. When she got there, she knocked on the door. Three quick little taps, one right after the other. 

Zuko didn’t take long to welcome her in. “Hey! What’s up?”

He was clearly not thinking of going out anytime soon. Dressed in what appeared to be a definitely not suited for winter pajama set, his eyes had a sleepy look to them. She noticed a trail of papers scattered all over the floor; letters, maps and various documents. It seemed like the Fire Lord had decided to do some late work. And there she was, barging right in the middle of it without any kind of warning. Well, it wasn’t like she needed one anyways. 

The sound of the door closing behind her prompted her to come up with something to say. 

“Um, I didn’t realize you could be working. I can leave you to it if you want, it’s like something urgent happened or anything.”

“Don’t worry about it, I was just checking up on some matters.”

“Uh, great then. So hear me out.” Her eyes were glistening with excitement. “How many times have you seen a sunset in the snow?”

He seemed pleasantly surprised at the question. “You mean while actually paying attention to it? I can’t remember honestly.”

“Well, you can thank me later. Now put your coat on and let’s go,” she said as she snapped her fingers. “We have a snowy sundown to attend to.”

Zuko laughed, apparently impressed by her determination. Katara watched as he looked for his coat and proceed to put on his shoes. Still in his pajamas, he seemed like the clumsiest Fire Lord in the world. And seeing him enjoying life made her smile. Every single time. 

“Come on! Zuko, you _really_ are slow.” Katara was dragging him to the shore, hurrying up to catch the last moments of daylight right before the night took over. 

“Well, I’m in my pajamas, remember? Keeping up with you is impossible,” he grunted as he catched his breath. 

“You’re not cut out for the cold, noted. But I’m the one holding onto you _and_ this heavy duty blanket at the same time.” She stuck her tongue out to him, enjoying the chance to mock him a little. 

With a sudden move, she stopped and dropped the blanket to the icy ground. 

“You know, you said it would be a snowy sunset,” he said as they spread the quilt. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t see a whole lotta snow falling from the sky right now.”

“Shh, how many years have you lived here? None, if I recall correctly. If I say it’s going to snow, it _will_ snow.”

She knew it was coming. The humidity in the air had been the first sign, and the piercing cold confirmed it. She had always had a way of anticipating a blizzard, no matter how small or insignificant it could be. A little snow was enough to do the trick for her. 

They sat on the blanket, staring at the horizon together. The glacial ocean was the perfect companion for the beautiful sight of the darkening sky. The calmest waves framed the water, with the final rays of sunshine reflecting on the surface. The sea mirrored the ethereal view, with a million particles of lights dancing all over it. There was still some blueness tinting the sky, as sundown was taking its time to show up. 

“So, you like it so far?” she asked, not taking her eyes off the airspace. 

“If I like it? I love it, Katara. Thanks for dragging me all the way here.” His reply came with a slight nudge, making her flinch at the warmth his touch even through her coat. 

“Well, you’re the guest of honor after all. I told you we would make sure your stay here was worth it.”

“Trust me, it already is.” His voice was utterly tender. “I wouldn’t trade these last days for anything. Even more, I’m enjoying myself and working at the same time. An amazing deal if you ask me.”

Not being able to resist the urge to look at him, Katara tilted her head. She found a little snowflake on top of his hair. The mere sight of it caused her to make the brightest of smiles. 

He must’ve noticed her staring, because he was suddenly facing her as well. 

“What.” He asked, smirking. “Is there something wrong with my hair?”

She impulsively put her hand on top of his head and softly ruffled his hair. Her heart had already started to rapidly pound inside her chest. _Oh, come on. Don’t get so flustered over this, please. You’re a big girl, you can touch his hair without getting giggly._

“No, silly,” she mumbled. “It’s starting to snow, look!”

His eyes widened as he touched his head. Noticing the wetness from the first snowflakes that had started to fall down, he made an amused frown. 

“You were right! Spirits, you’ve won,” he exclaimed, constantly shifting his sight from the horizon and into the ocean of her eyes. 

“Excuse me, have I _ever_ not won?” she teased, laughing. 

The snow had started to fall harder from the sky, dancing into the diminishing light like a choreographed dance conducted by a gentle breeze. It was freezing out there now that the sun was finally saying his goodbyes for the day. Everything was covered in a sheer layer of whiteness. The clouds blushed at the warm touch of the sun, fighting the coldness of the soft blizzard. The sun itself was merged with the sky, changing to hues of orange, purple and reddish colors. 

Katara laughed, worrying her heart might just explode from how happy she was to be there. 

“I can’t believe you’re here in pajamas! You must be freezing.” 

“Firebending remember, I should be worrying about you. Your dad would hate me if you catch a cold on my watch.”

“A cold? I know how to dress properly for this weather, thank you very much.” Despite the sassiness of her words, she liked knowing he cared. If there was something she was certain of, it was just how much he actually did. 

“I’m not buying your firebending excuse, Fire Lord. Imagine if you get sick because of me, would that qualify as treason?”

“Um, let me check with my advisors and I’ll be sure to get back to you about it,” he joked.

He softly put his hand on top of her forehead, as to check for her temperature. It was the silliest yet most adorable thing she could think of. There was no way she could catch a cold. They both knew it. Still, the gentle touch seemed to be about a lot more than just a medical concern. 

“You’re actually freezing, Katara. I’m serious.”

She touched her cheek to check for herself. Nonsense, she was warm enough. 

“You must be delusional because I’m perfectly fine, Hotman. You probably have a fever already,” she said with a daring look in her eyes. “Let me see.”

In a sheer impulse, Katara cupped his scarred cheek on her hand. It had almost came up like a natural reflex for her. It wasn’t the first time. That had been at Ba Sing Se, nearly a lifetime ago. Looking back, that first gesture had certainly foreshadowed a lot of things. She noticed him blinking, nervously battling his eyelashes as her fingers traced over the lines of the damaged part of his skin. He was warm, extremely warm. Specially compared to the freezing snow coming down from the clouds. _Turns out the firebending thing is one hell of a trick,_ she thought. She hadn’t moved yet. Not even an inch. 

Her heart was now furiously racing, giving away just how much of an effect that proximity to him had on her. She stared into his eyes, golden as the now dying sun in the horizon. In that moment, she realized she couldn’t fight it anymore. Those emotions were real, urgent, demanding. Though she wasn’t about to do anything about them - she couldn’t, not yet - acceptance slowly crept into her mind. It was time to make amends with the truth. She had feelings for Zuko. It wasn’t a question nor a guess. It was just an overly complicated fact. 

“Told you I can keep myself warm.” The sudden sound of his voice made her flinch.

She finally lowered down her hand, trying to conceal how flustered she was. 

_Just breath, it’s not that hard. Come on. Now say something._

“Uh, yeah. You were right. Well, guess you won’t have to ask if I committed treason then.”

_Really? ‘Treason’, is that the best you could think of?_

He smiled, reassuringly. “It’s your lucky day, I guess.” He seemed to had gotten a little nervous himself. 

She grinned, softly pushing his shoulder to have him facing the horizon once again. “Come on, we’re missing the show.” 

Snowflakes swirled across the sky, now looking magenta. The sun was already half into the water, but its reflection in the ocean made it look complete. It was a mesmerizing view. 

Katara smiled, thinking about how much a little hunch could do. What a magical moment it had been capable to create. She had never felt so grateful for a gentle blizzard. Despite the cold, everything was warm about that moment. The snow, the sundown, the person sitting next to her... A sudden peacefulness took over her. The future might be looking a little blurry. But if she made sure to hold on to memories like this one, it was going to be okay. Feeling a little lost wasn’t so bad if it meant taking some time to enjoy every minute of the way. 

The purpleness of the sky intensified, giving up on the warmer tones to leave room for the darkness of the night. The snow was still falling, resting all around the two of them. In just a while, the biggest star had set, giving way for a thousand others. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sokka teaching little kids how to make their own boomerangs really brings me joy. His enthusiasm is too wholesome.  
> Okay, goodbye now! Until the next update!


	21. What You Will Find

The sun brushed his face, bringing a little extra warmth in the midst of all the coldness. The Fire Lord held onto a stack of papers as he walked up to Hakoda’s hut, ready to take part in the meeting about the future International Collaboration. 

The response from his advisors and the various companies he was interested in working with had been surprisingly good. His Uncle must’ve doing a great job over there. Well, actually, Zuko _knew_ he was. The last letter he had received from him had helped soothe out his concerns. Iroh had even encouraged him to stick around at the tribe for even longer. And he had, sort of. He had been there for almost a week, enjoying every second he had left to spend with some of the people he cared the most for in the entire world. Although, now that the meeting was finally taking place, he could feel the clock ticking louder than ever. Truth was, a part of him refused to go. But he had to, for his mom. Time was up. It would soon be his turn to leave, despite how much it would hurt him to do so. 

He shook his head, maintaining a steady pace as he made his way through the snowy ground. There was no reason for him to feel sad. The last few days at the South Pole had been some of his happiest moments _ever_. Cheering on Sokka teaching little kids how to make boomerangs, admiring sunsets with Katara, enjoying the family meals, enraging in snowball’s fights with his two southern friends, feeling loved and included, all while simply being himself. Those memories would stay with him forever. And he could always come back. Maybe he could even bring his mother for a visit. 

_Okay, stop right there, Mr sentimentalism. Don’t get too carried away. Find her first, then you can daydream about a certain waterbender meeting your mom for the first time. Alright?_

A familiar figure was waiting at the entrance of the hut. The waterbender in question, leaning against the icy wall. How on earth didn’t she freeze out there? 

“Zuko! _Finally_ , I thought I was going to have to go out looking for you,” she exclaimed when she saw him walking up to her. 

He smiled, her excitement was noticeable from a mile away. “Well, I could have used some help with all of this,” he said, tilting his head to pinpoint the stack of papers he was carrying. 

“Oh, _come on!_ Aren’t you supposed to be the mighty Fire Lord? I’m sure you can handle it.” A mischievous smile framed her face. “Now get in, we’re all set.”

Katara grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him inside. Everyone else seemed to be there. Hakoda, Pakku, Kanna, Sokka, the rest of the local chiefs... His little staycation at the Southern Water Tribe had actually turned out to be some sort of diplomatic mission after all. Katara had been right. And he wasn’t surprised. 

“So that went really well, right?” Sokka’s voice echoed all over the kitchen hall. 

“I believe the local chiefs were satisfied with the outcome. Zuko, thank you, really. With the support of your Nation I don’t doubt of the great things we can accomplish around here.” Hakoda sounded more than pleased with the new alliance. 

“There’s no need to thank me. The Southern Water Tribe more than deserves the aid we’ll provide. I just did the right thing.” His response was sincere. He knew an International Collaboration was necessary. 

Katara gave him an affectionate squeeze on his arm, just as she was passing through with a pile of plates ready to be arranged on the table. “Still, _thank you._ Now sit down before the food gets cold.”

Zuko couldn’t help but allow a tender smile to take over his face. That girl was really getting the best of him, and not necessarily in a bad sense. He knew he probably looked ridiculous, standing there smiling at the thin air around him. Quickly enough, he recomposed himself, moving over to sit on his now usual seat on Gran Gran’s table. 

“Dad, now that we have the necessary aid, we _will_ carry on with the plans for a waterbending academy, right?” Katara asked as she served one of the steamed dumplings on her plate. 

“Katara, we are building it no matter what. Trust me, I want it too.” Pakku intervened. 

“Of course we are,” Hakoda replied. “We are building the academy, a school for all of the children, a town hall, and much more. Thanks to the partnerships with the Fire Nation’s Industries, we have the necessary construction equipment now.”

“Yeah sist, don’t worry about it!” Sokka exclaimed. “I’ve already sketched some plans for the academy, it’s one of my top priorities.” 

The way Sokka poured all of himself into the Reconstruction Project was simply heartwarming. Zuko was proud of seeing his friend being so certain of what he wanted to do. He had became truly involved with the plans, constantly following his father around to see if there was anything else he could help with. It was clear that helping rebuild his tribe made him whole. All the math, engineering and logistics behind the urbanization had him thriving on his work. 

On the other hand, Zuko noticed that Katara seemed a little more unsure. She clearly loved being back home, but he could swear she was hesitant about her place in the world. He didn’t have the ability to read her mind, sadly enough, but he knew her well. Heck, he had even predicted her uncertainty regarding the restoration of the Air Temples. He could tell the future had her concerned. Well, it wasn’t her fault to be so amazing to fit perfectly in more than one place. He knew she could be great at whatever she chose to do. And seeing her happy was all he wanted. 

“Young man, how are you liking the dumplings?” Kanna’s gentle voice interrupted his train of thoughts.

“They’re amazing, thank you. You’re an extraordinary cook, Kanna,” he replied with a smile. “By the way, the construction materials shouldn’t take long to arrive. I would say in a week, tops.”

“That’s just perfect. Sokka, we really should hurry with those plans, alright?” Hakoda said. 

The boy’s expression instantly lightened up. “Yes dad, I’ll get right onto them as soon as I finish eating. Remember sist, top priority,” he made sure to say to Katara. 

“You better, Sokka. I’m counting in you,” she replied with a smile. 

Zuko smiled. Something more than good had came out of his little detour. 

It was later in the evening. Zuko twirled all over his hut, trying to organize everything he needed to initiate his search. A bunch of papers were scattered all over the floor. Letters, documents, every single map of Gaipan and the Western Earth Kingdom he had been able to get his hands onto, and a portrait of his mom. That drawing was one of his most treasured possessions. He had held onto it for many years. Now it would serve a purpose bigger than sentimentalism. It would help him try to find her. If people recognized her from the image, they might be able to guide him straight to her. It could be somewhat of a long shot, but he was determined to try.

He wasn’t sure when he would leave to Gaipan yet, but his plan was to tell everyone at dinner that night. A part of him wondered what Katara’s reaction would be. She had seemed so happy during the last few days that he hated the possibility of causing her any discomfort. Every moment they spent together he could feel something there. He had even started to play with the idea of his feelings for her being reciprocated. This particular thought haunted him, turned him into an awkward mess more usual than he would like to admit. Still, his departure was expected. Feelings aside, he could sense it was time for him to start his search. 

A knock followed by the sound of the door opening made him tilt his head. 

“Hey,” Katara greeted him. “I was wondering if you wanted to catch tonight’s sunset. It still early, but we could bring some kale cookies to the shore and have a little feast. Sokka said he’d be into it.” 

Of course it was her. Who else would waltz into his hut to offer him to admire the sunset with them? It was precisely that kind of things that made him even crazier about her. There was just something about the way they could be their most genuine self with the other. She was all smiles, standing just meters away from him. He realized how weird he must’ve be looking at the moment, sitting in the floor, surrounded by papers and other little utilities. 

“Sure,” he replied. “Just let me clear up this mess first. You’re welcome to get confortable in the meantime.” He was still on the floor, looking like a fool. 

Katara walked up to him, hands on her hips, as she stared at the mess he had made. “Don’t be silly, I can help you pick with this,” she said as she kneeled in the floor and started to go through the different papers. 

“Um, alright, thanks,” Zuko said, anxiously rubbing his neck. He remembered he would have to tell her about his upcoming departure. 

Silence found its way to them as they took their time organizing all that was scattered on the ground. 

Sometimes he’d look at her, so determined to help him. He wished he could stay that close to her forever. His feelings for her still found a way to amaze him. It was the last thing he would’ve expected, but it actually made all the sense in the world. In the exact moment he had jumped in front of that lightning for her, he knew it. Instantly. A part of him knew right in that second that his feelings for her were something special. 

A sudden shift on her expression brought his attention back to the present. Katara appeared to be reading a particular letter, her eyes widening more and more as a concerned frown took over her face. 

“Katara, is everything okay?” he asked, confused about what could’ve caught her attention in such a negative way. 

No response. She just kept reading, staring at the piece of paper as if would soon turn into flames and burn them both. 

Zuko moved over to be able to sit closer. When he was right next to her, he looked over her should to see what could be the cause of such concern. What the found, made him realize just in how much trouble he was about to get into. He cursed himself for being so careless. What was he thinking, letting all of those documents casually laying around there? He had never been a good liar, and now she knew it. 

“Hey.” He placed his hand on her shoulder in an attempt to made her feel closer to him. “You want me t-” 

“Zuko, is this true?” Her eyes lacked all the warmth that filled them just moments ago. 

He hesitated before comings to terms with the fact that he could not keep hiding the truth from her. 

“Yes,” he said. “It’s the truth. But if you let me explain-“

“How long?” she asked. “For how long have you known that your mother is still alive?” Her voice had started to shake. 

A sigh escaped his mouth. “Since the day of the invasion. It was my father who told me.” 

She dropped the letter, moving to the side to be able to face him. “ _The invasion?”_ Her voice was merely a whisper. “Are you saying that the day- the day that lady died at the Medical Center, the day I told you your mom would’ve proud of you... You just let me say those things? You just lay there, holding my hand, knowing that your mother was alive, and you didn’t say _anything?”_

“Katara, I don’t expect you to understand. But you need to know I had my reasons to keep it a secret.”

“Please, go ahead, tell me all about them. Wait, do the others know? Am I the only one you decided to keep in the dark?” 

“What? _No_!” he exclaimed. “You are the only one who knows. I couldn’t afford to tell anyone.”

“Really? Why, because we are not worthy of your trust? I’ve shared _everything_ with you. I’ve let you see me at my absolute worst, more than once. I just - I don’t know. I thought you trusted me, I thought we...” Her voice trailed off. 

A lot of things started spiraling down his mind. He couldn’t believe he had been able to keep that information from her for so long. A part of him knew he had his reasons to do so, but he couldn’t help but wonder if Katara was right. Well, she was definitely right about one thing. He trusted her with his life. But he still hadn’t been able to tell her the truth. 

“Of course I trust you. I’m sorry for not telling you, I just wasn’t ready yet,” he mumbled. He actually had no clue of what to say. 

“ _Yet?”_ The look in her eyes made him flinch. “That’s why you’re going to The Western Earth Kingdom, aren’t you? To find her. I asked you why you where going there, and you told me it was because of work. Zuko, you _lied_ to my face about it.” 

“Yes, I am going there to find her but I never-“

“It’s fine, really. It’s your life, I’m in no place to tell you what you can and can’t do,” Katara said as she abruptly stood up. 

“Katara, _listen_. I had to do this myself, I couldn’t wait any longer. It’s _my_ mom that’s lost out there!”

“But you didn’t have to do it _alone._ You had me, you had the whole team ready to help you with anything. Spirits, we are supposed to be there for each other. What’s the point if you won’t even trust us with the truth?” Her eyes had turned a little misty as she spoke those words. 

He felt lost for words. It had been killing him to hide everything from her, the last person he would ever want to hurt. Still, he had rushed into things without the consequences. “I know - I just did my best.” 

She started walking to the door, resignation could be seen in her eyes. “I don’t doubt that. I’m sorry too, I think I need a moment.”

“ _What?_ Why?” He asked, not sure whether to stop her or not. “Stay.” This last word came out like a whisper. 

She was right at the entrance. “Zuko, it’s okay. If you say you want to do it alone I won’t stand in your way.” There was a strain of sadness in her voice. “I really am sorry, I’m in desperate need for some air right now.” 

He realized he didn’t actually want to do it all on his own. And she deserved to know the whole truth. 

“Come on, Katara, you don’t need to go!” he exclaimed. 

She was out in a heartbeat. The sound of the door shutting behind her was all the company he was left with. 

Zuko felt powerless, paralyzed, and utterly confused. It was _his_ mother that was missing. He had the right to keep it a secret from her, right? Technically, that was correct. But that didn’t mean it had been the right thing for him to do. After all that he and Katara had gone through, he still hadn’t been able to tell her. Why? Perhaps a part of him still couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have her in his life. They had suffered the same loss, only that now he had the chance to restore what he had lost. And she did not. 

Fears aside, a part of him knew all along that keeping her in the dark wasn’t the smartest move. The way she had found out the truth had been less than ideal. Storming off hadn’t been her nicest gesture, but in all honesty he would’ve probably done the same. In the end, he had brought this on himself. 

He wasn’t sure for how long he stayed on the floor, going through all the different papers, trying to make some sense of his emotions. Why was he feeling like this? He should be happier, about to embark on his search. But something was holding him back. _Someone._

A knock on the door caught his attention. 

“Katara?” Zuko asked, hopeful. “Come in!”

The door opened, but it wasn’t her. 

“Hey, buddy. It’s just me,” Sokka said, walking up to where he was sitting. “I was wondering why neither of you had come looking for me and those kale cookies.” 

“Um, yeah.” He nervously rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, sorry. We just - I don’t know. Sorry.”

Sokka sat down next to him. Cross legged and facing him, his head resting in one of his hands. 

“Okay, let’s see,” he said as he let out a sigh. “What’s bothering you?”

“Your sister.” 

“Well, doesn’t that sound a little familiar?” A smirk crossed Sokka’s face. “Are you going to ask me any awkward questions now?” 

“What? Oh, Spirits Sokka.” He felt a tiny smile forming on his face. “You win. And no, it’s not like that this time.”

“Hey, I managed to get that frown out of your face for a second. Give me a little credit,” he laughed. “What happened then?”

“I think she might hate me right now.”

“ _Again_ , I swear I’m having a déjà vu. So, why would she hate you? Did you guys had a fight?”

“No, not really. I - I... kept something from her. Something important.”

“And? She figured it in her own, didn’t she? Man, you know her, she just outsmarts all of us.”

“Yes, she did. Point is, I think she believes I don’t trust her. Any of you actually. I don’t know, she just left. She seemed pretty upset.”

“Any of us? You mean the team?” Sokka’s expression has clouded all of the sudden. “And, don’t you?”

“ _Of course_ I trust you, Sokka. But this secret is delicate and - I didn’t want you to get involved before I was sure.”

“Sure of what, Zuko? Look, if you don’t want to tell me that’s fine. Just, you know you can count on me.”

“It’s kind of a long story, alright? And after I’m done you _have_ to tell me how to get Katara to talk to me again.”

“Deal. I’m listening, Sparky.” Sokka prompted him to start. 

And so he did. Zuko told him everything to his friend, starting right from when he first found out his mother was alive and all the way up to just a little ago, with Katara reading his letter to Iroh and realizing he had been lying to her all along. Once he was done, he felt lighter, as if an invisible weight had been lifted from his chest. 

“Okay, that’s seriously a lot to take in. I don’t know how you managed to keep this to yourself for so long. There was no need for you to be alone in all of this.” Sokka had carefully listened to every word he said. 

“I thought it was the right thing to do. You all have a life aside from the team, I didn’t want to drag any of you into it. That’s why I lied to her about why I’m going to the Earth Kingdom.” 

“Zuko, you stood right by Katara’s side as she faced the man that killed our mother. You were there for her every step of the way. Don’t you think she would want be there for you too?”

Sokka was right. He had made sure Katara got the closure she needed. He had never doubted the validity of her journey. And he would do it all over again, a millionth times if necessary. 

“I... I didn’t think of it that way. I thought it was _my_ burden to carry. She already has enough to worry about.” 

“She worries about you too, dumbass. Don’t you know her? She cares for each and every one of us.” He sighed. “You know how much the loss of our mom has affected her. Buddy, knowing that you have a chance of being reunited with yours would certainly make her happy.”

“You think? She seemed really upset at me for not telling her.”

“You know, she was devastated when Aang told her they should stay apart. But the minute you started talking about taking us home, her whole face lightened up. I think she just feels like you didn’t trust her enough to tell her the truth. And after all that’s happened between you two... She doesn’t hate you. You know that.”

“I trust her, and I trust you too. Both of you are like family to me. I’m glad you know the whole story. Now, I think it’s time for her to hear it.” Something that Sokka had mentioned suddenly made him flinch. “Wait, after Aang told her _what?”_

“I’m guessing she didn’t tell you the full story, huh? Aang put an end to whatever was going on between them. She didn’t want to restore the Air Temples with him and I think he just sort of snapped.”

“That’s why she seemed so sad that night. I mean she told me about the Air Temples. She just didn’t mention that Aang had let go of her. She must’ve been heartbroken.” 

_And here I was, thinking that she felt the same way about me. What a delusional idiot._

“Look, you didn’t hear it from me, but she wasn’t heartbroken because of Aang. She was more frustrated than anything else. I mean, it was always pretty obvious that she didn’t like him in that way.”

_So... Maybe I’m not so crazy after all._

“Okay, you can’t ever tell her I said that to you,” Sokka warned him. “My point is: Katara doesn’t hate you. She’s just hurt. You should go ahead and explain to her why you didn’t tell her about your mom. Be honest. She’ll understand, you’ll see.”

“Thanks, buddy. I’m gonna do that.” 

“Then why are you still sitting here like a lazy crybaby? Go!”

“You mean, _right now?”_

“Yes, Zuko! Or were you planning on waiting ‘till she actually hates you?”

He stood up, determined to find her. “Um, no, that wouldn’t be the best idea.” He sprinted to the door. “Thanks again! You can have my cookies if you want!” he exclaimed as he closed the door. 

“Wait, this isn’t even my hut!” Sokka’s laugh was muffled by the sound of the icy wind from the outside. 

Sokka could see himself out. Right there and then all that he needed was to find Katara. 

“I thought I’d find you here.”

Zuko watched as Katara tilted her head, shifting her sight from the horizon and onto his eyes. There was no response from her, just a little shrug of her shoulders as she went back to staring at the ocean. The sun had already gone down almost completely. Their plan to catch the sunset had been butchered by a secret. 

He sat down on the shore next to her. The ground was as cold as it could get, a mixture of ice and snow. 

“Katara, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about my mother.” He took a deep breath before continuing to speak. “I didn’t want you to have one more thing to worry about. But you’re right, I don’t have to be alone in this. I’ve already told Sokka the truth. If you let me, I would love to explain it to you too.” 

She shifted to look at him straight in the eye. Her face showed a mixture of utter confusion and a bit of hesitation. Her blue eyes were barely illuminated by the last reminiscent of sunlight. 

“It’s not _all_ your fault,” she blurted out. “I’m sorry I reacted that way, I was just a little too surprised. I’m not sure what came over me. I should’ve stayed.”

“You know I trust you, right?” He felt his heart racing as he tried to find the right words to say. “I’d trust you with my life, don’t ever doubt that. It was wrong of me to lie to you about it when you asked me why I was going to the Western Earth Kingdom.”

Her eyes widened, her expression softening as she heard what he had just said. “It’s okay now. And I trust you too,” she whispered. 

Spirits, he wanted to hug her. He wanted to hold her in his arms and thank her for being alive. For making his existence a million times brighter just by sitting next to him. Somewhere along the way she had become _everything_ to him. And he wouldn’t change a thing. 

He tugged one rebellious hair of hers behind her ear, hoping that gesture would serve as a way to express his feelings. Then, he asked. “You ready to hear the whole story?”

Katara nodded, moving around to be able to face him while she listened to him. A light smile was now visible on her face. 

“It all begins with the day of the invasion, believe it or not...”

He proceeded to pour his heart out to her. Every detail he could think of, he included it, not wanting to keep her in the dark about anything else. Katara listened attentively the whole time, making one of two questions whenever something seemed not to sit right with her. She was as comprehensive as possible, respecting his silences yet not afraid of voicing out her concerns. It was liberating to be able to share the truth with the person he had so many feelings for. 

Once he was out of words, they stayed quiet for a moment. Night had caught them by surprise. Now, the only light that surrounded them came from the moon. The soft sound of the ocean waves breaking against the icy shore echoed all around them. There was peace in their silence. He knew she understood, and that was enough. 

“I’m coming with you.” Her voice showed a strain of unstoppable determination. 

“What?” He flinched. “What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean, Zuko.” There was a fierce look in her eyes. “I’m coming with you to Gaipan. We’re going to find her once and for all.”

“But, Katara,” he mumbled. “I don’t even know if she’s there. Who knows how long it might take? You have your own life, I can’t expect you to-“

She interrupted him, putting her hand on top of his. “You’re not expecting me to do anything. _You_ helped me find the man who killed my mother, you were _right_ _there_ with me. There’s no way I’m letting you do this alone.”

Zuko felt lost for words. Her reaction had took him by surprise. But it was exactly what he would do if it was Katara in his place. 

“I’m assuming there’s no way to stop you, huh?” he said with a smile. “Thank you, Katara, I’m serious.”

“You can thank me once we find her.” She squeezed his hand onto hers, fingers intertwined and racing hearts. 

“Your family is going to kill me when they find out I’m the reason you’re leaving once again.”

“They’ll understand.” She shrugged. “When are we leaving, by the way? Shouldn’t we make a plan or something?”

“I already have a plan, sort of. All those papers you saw back at my hut are part of it.” 

Still holding onto him, she stood up. “Come on then, we’ve got work to do,” she said as she tugged his hand, prompting him to get on his feet.

“Lead the way, my lady,” he laughed. “Um, we should probably talk to Sokka first. He’s the reason I came out looking for you in the first place.”

“You’re saying that he encouraged you to tell me the truth?” She smiled. “Remind me to make him a pie or something later.”

“Will do. Now let’s go meet him.”

The two of them started walking out of the shore, a silver beam of moonlight illuminating their path. Their fingers were still timidly interlaced, a little warmth in the midst of all the frostiness that surrounded them. 

Zuko smiled as he made his way through the snowy ground. What a twist on his story. He was going to find his mother. And he didn’t need to do it alone. The girl he had been so afraid of leaving was going to be there with him. Every step of the way. Just like he once did for her. Through it all, he had made his mistakes, he had stumbled and fall. But he felt ready to discover what was lying ahead of him. It was the right time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I know I took a little longer to update but today I finally start my week off!  
> On top of it all Zutara week is coming up and I’m trying to wrap up a couple of things I have planned for it. I’m really excited about it! Aren’t we all? 👀  
> Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! And thank you all so much for reading!  
> Until the next update! <3


	22. Off They Go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Hi! I’ve missed you all! I promise you I’m not giving up on this story anytime soon.  
> 
> 
> I apologize for the delayed update, Zutara Week’s got me editing one-shots all day long. Feel free to check them out, by the way ;)  
> Honestly, writing about many different moments in time for these two has given me a whole new appreciation for this story. I just enjoy writing it so much, I hope it shows.  
> 
> 
> So here I am, bringing you a new chapter. It’s the last one at the South Pole, so I hope you enjoy it!  
> As always, thank you for reading! <3

It hit her. Waking up and realizing it would be her last full day at the South Pole for a while. Katara looked around her sleeping chamber. It all seemed surreal. Just how fast things kept changing since the moment she had discovered the boy in the iceberg. Her life was now a constant transition, going from one place, situation, or emotion to another. Sure, it hadn’t been bad at all. But it was pretty crazy to think about. 

She got up, quickly putting on her clothes for the day. As soon as she stepped into the common area of her father’s hut, the smell of freshly brewed tea welcomed her from the kitchen.

“Hey!” Sokka greeted her. “Good morning, I can’t believe I got up earlier than you. Want to share breakfast? I’ve made some tea and there are some kale cookies ready to eat.” 

“‘Morning, Sokka.” She walked up to him and affectionately ruffled his hair. “Dad’s out, huh?” 

“Yeah, he is. Don’t worry though, I’m sure he’ll want to spend as much time with you as possible today.”

It hit her again. She was leaving the next day. Luckily for her, the worst part had already been dealt with. Her family was aware of the nature of her departure, as Zuko had been onboard with her telling them the truth. Still, she had a feeling some important conversations were about to take place. Goodbyes were never easy.

Katara sat down next to her brother, a cup of tea waiting for her. “Thanks, really. You know, I’m gonna miss you so much.”

“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about it,” he said, a strain of concern detectable in his voice. “Are you sure you’re up for this?”

“Of course, Sokka. Why wouldn’t I?” 

“Because I don’t know, isn’t it a little too soon? We’ve been home for barely a week! And now you’re leaving to Gaipan with Zuko?”

She put down the cookie she was about to take a bite of. “Look, I appreciate that you’re worried about me. But it’s not too soon, not for me at least. You know how much his mother means to him, I cannot leave him alone on this one. We would do just the same for me.” 

“But are you sure you’re feeling well enough to embark on a search right now?” He put his hand on her forearm. “Sist, with all that’s happened recently. Aang, the Medical Center, the gang separating, the changes all over here... I just want to make sure you’re ready.”

To be fair, her brother had a point. Just about a month ago, she had been leaning on his shoulder, on the verge of tears, confessing how utterly lost she was feeling. And that sensation hadn’t magically disappeared. But something inside of her screamed for her to do this. To go with Zuko. To help him find his mother. Perhaps by the time they found her, she would be feeling a little less lost herself.

“I’m fine, I promise. Things are moving a little too fast, I’ll give you that. But I have to do this. I want to.”

“I promised not so long ago that I would stay with you until the time was right. I’m asking you, as your big brother, do you need me to go with you?” His eyes showed determination, yet they lacked a desire for leaving home. 

She took a sip of her tea before speaking. “Do you want to? I thought you were happy here.”

“I am happy here. I love helping with the urbanization plans, you know that. But that wasn’t the question.”

Did she need him to go with them? The reality was, no. She knew his place was there, working with the Restoration Project, or at Kyoshi Island, visiting Suki. There was no real need for her to drag him into her plans. No, this was something she had to do on her own. She loved her brother, and that’s why she wanted him to stay 

“No, Sokka, I don’t need you to come with us. Would I be excited if you did? Absolutely. But I know you have other plans in mind. And I promise you, I will take care of myself.”

“So it’s settled then,” he said as he drank some of his tea. “You’re leaving with Zuko tomorrow.”

“I am, tomorrow morning. We’ll head straight to Gaipan. If we’re lucky, this search shouldn’t take long.”

“Don’t you start counting on luck, count on facts. Just please be careful. Write to me as often as you can. And don’t do anything stupid.”

“Seriously, me of all people? I’m not going to do anything like that.” She rolled her eyes. “I’ll be fine.”

“If anything happens to you, I’ll kill Zuko, alright? I think I should have a talk with him or something.”

“What? Where’s that coming from? Please don’t. You know I’m a big girl, I can manage on my own.”

“I know, I know. It’s just, I feel like I had to say something like that. I’m not gonna be there with you, you know? _He_ is. So I want him to keep an eye on you for me.”

“Sokka, he’s your best friend. Are you sure you don’t want _me_ to keep an eye on _him_?”

He threw his hand up in the air. “Both could work! You two just take care of each other, okay?”

“Yes, big brother, we will.” She raised a brow. “You take care of the tribe while I’m gone. And if you happen to go visit Suki please hug her on my behalf.”

“Visiting Suki... That sounds nice.” A smile started to spread across his face. “I think I’ll visit her soon enough. Wait, I have one last thing to annoy you with before we carry on with our day.”

“Oh Spirits, please help me,” Katara laughed. “Shoot.”

“What are you planning to do once you find her? Don’t get me wrong, but you don’t seem to be dying to stick around here forever. But there’s the Waterbending Academy. And you’ve got the Medical Center thing going on... Sist, the possibilities are endless.”

Oh no, no thinking about the long-term future. That was a recipe for disaster - also known as emotional instability - and a headache. She preferred to go one step at a time. 

“Actually, I have no clue,” she shrugged. “I’ll find Ursa first. Then, I’ll worry about what on earth to do with my life.” 

He smiled before even replying. “Alright, fair enough. I like your attitude, sister.”

“I have one final question for you too.”

Sokka made a little frown. “Yeah?”

“Who are you going to miss the most, me or Zuko?” A mischievous smirk framed her face as she asked. 

“Darn.” He let out a bright laugh. “Don’t make me choose between you two dorks.”

“What?” She threw a little piece of her kale cookie at him. “Unbelievable. And here I was thinking my brother loved me.” Her expression showed she was half-joking, half-serious. 

“You,” Sokka whispered as he chuckled. “Don’t tell Zuko but I’ll miss you more.” 

“My lips are sealed.” She laughed. “Now let’s go make the most out of my last day here.”

Spirits, she was going to miss him the most too. 

  
  


“Katara, can I talk to you for a second?” Her dad asked. “Let’s go to my office, shall we?

She couldn’t say it had taken her by surprise. Still, having to get up from the after-meal caused another wave of realization to rush right through her. Smiling at Pakku, Gran Gran, Sokka, and Zuko, she stood up and followed her father to the outside of her grandmother’s hut. 

Once they were in his office, her father motioned to her to sit down. He seemed more serious than usual. 

“Alright,” he said. “I just wanted us to have a proper conversation before you leave.”

“Sure, dad. What is it?”

“You know you will always have a home here, right?”

 _Home_. There was that tricky little word again. Of course, she would always have a home there. The South Pole was her home, no matter what. Yet again, Katara was feeling more and more certain that she now had more than one home. Because it wasn’t a place, but the people she loved that were there. 

“I know. This place will always be my home, dad. But why are you asking me this?” 

“I’m just trying to make sure you know how much we love you, Katara.” Hakoda let out a small sigh. “I can’t say I’m a fan of you leaving, but I understand your reasons. And honestly, I can’t even try to stop you. It’s your life, your decision.”

“And I love you all too, unconditionally. Leaving isn’t going to change that. It’s not the first time either.”

“But it’s different, and you know it. This time you’ll be even more on your own, right? I understand it’s only going to be you and Zuko.” 

“It is. He was planning on going alone, but there’s no way I’m letting that happen.” Her voice had a strain of nervousness to it. “He did so much for me, I can’t let him on his own for the most important search of his life.”

“I’m aware of everything Zuko has done for both you and your brother. And I know how much you two care for him. I’m not trying to talk you out of going with him, Katara.”

“Then?” she asked. “Because Sokka has already told me a hundred times to take care of myself.”

“You want to make sure you two take care _of each other_. I’m surprised Aang or Toph aren’t coming with you.” 

“They have other things going on in their lives. And they don’t even know Zuko’s mom’s alive. I didn’t even know until two days ago, remember? Toph’s with her family. And Aang…” Katara felt her voice shaking, remembering the - less than ideal - way things have turned out between her and the Avatar. “He’s off restoring the Air Temples.”

“Did something happen between you two? You seemed pretty close before.”

“ _What?_ How’s that anything to do with me leaving?”

“Katara, I just want to make sure everything’s okay with you. When you first got here, you had a rather sad look in your eyes.”

“That’s because a week ago I had failed in saving someone! Not because Aang and I…” 

“Yes?” her father prompted her to carry on.

“We had a fight. He got upset because I told him restoring the Air Temples wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life.” 

“And?”

_Spirits, dad. Why can’t we just leave this alone?_

“And he broke up with me. Well, we weren’t even really together. Still, he insisted that we had to go our separate ways.” A nervous grin took over her face. “Stupid, right?”

“See? That’s what I mean. You have barely been here for a week, and you´ve spent almost all of your time with Sokka and Zuko. You fought with one of your best friends and I didn’t have a clue.” Hakoda put his hand on her shoulder. “I know you’re an independent young woman, but you’re still my little waterbender.” 

“Dad, it’s not that big of a deal. Aang and I will be fine. It was just really frustrating.” She let out a sigh. “But I´m feeling better now.”

“I’m sure you’ll hate me for asking you this but… Did you love him?” 

_Great, nothing like being reminded of how all of this happened because I couldn’t be honest about my feelings._ She took a breath before speaking. 

“No, I didn’t.” And something inside of her fell down as she admitted it to her father. It was liberating to voice out the truth. “I tried, dad, I really tried. He’s been in love with me for _so_ long, and I thought the right thing for me was to love him too. But I just couldn’t. And I was too bent on getting there that I failed to see things from a larger perspective. I ended up hurting us both the most.”

It was the truth, the uncomfortable truth. She had been too focused on _trying_ to love Aang that she had overlooked everything else. It had prevented her from being honest with herself. It had even made her overlook her feelings for someone else. All because of an expectation. An expectation she had been stupid enough to inflict on herself. 

“Katara, you have to listen to yourself. You and only you know what’s best for you.”

“I know that now. I would not make the same mistake away.”

“And I might be overstepping here but you should pay attention to what your heart tells you about these things.” Hakoda made a brief pause, he appeared to be searching for the right words to say. “So you know that the right kind of love, the kind that’s _real_ , that _sacrifices_ , that doesn’t make you feel pressured into having feelings. That kind of love doesn’t _blind_ you. It actually helps you _see._ ”

Her father was right. And Katara couldn’t help but think about a certain firebender as she reflected on Hakoda’s advice. A love that _sacrifices_ , a love that helps to _see_. Somewhere along the way, she had found that kind of love without even looking for it. In the most unexpected place of them all.

“Thank you, dad, for the advice. I’ll try to follow it from now on.” She had a light smile on her face.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m not eager for you to fall in love anytime soon,” he chuckled. “But it’s always good to feel like there are some things I can still help you with.”

“Don’t be silly, I know you’ll always be there for me.”

“Always, Katara, for anything you might need.” He squeezed her shoulder in an affectionate gesture. “Well, now back to the present. You’re leaving tomorrow morning, right?” 

“Yeah, we prefer not to travel at night.”

“Smart choice. I’ll make sure you have enough food for at least a few days. And you may take everything you need. Please be sure to keep me updated and write often.” 

“Thanks. And of course, I’ll write to you, dad. We were planning on packing up all of our stuff right after dinner.” 

“That’s perfect. And Katara, one more thing.” Hakoda seemed to hesitate for a second. “I know finding his mother means a lot to you too. But please keep your head straight, don’t get your hopes too up.”

She frowned. “Dad, we _will_ find her. I don’t care if we have to sweep the entire Earth Kingdom.” 

“Alright, I admire your determination. Just take care, okay? I’ll miss you. Try to come to visit when it’s done.”

“I’ll miss you too. And don’t worry, I’ll come back as soon as possible.”

If only she had an idea of when that could be. Her whole conversation with her dad had been reassuring. It had been good to be honest with him, about a lot of things. Little by little, she was feeling more and more ready to leave. The timing was right. 

  
  


The night had fallen at the Southern Water Tribe. Stars glittered on the night sky, giving the moon some company. The sound of the ocean waves crashing against the shore softly echoed all around the village. 

Everything was ready for the upcoming departure. The air balloon had already been equipped with Katara and Zuko’s travel belongings. They wouldn’t take much, just the necessary stuff. Still, it had taken them a while to prepare it. Katara’s family had helped them, making sure they wouldn’t forget anything. 

There was a strain of melancholy detectable in the air. A strain of the inevitable. The two of them were leaving, having been there for barely more than a week. Still, it had been more time than what Katara had initially expected Zuko to stay. The only catch was, she hadn’t anticipated she would be leaving with him. 

“So, how are you feeling about tomorrow?” 

Katara tilted her head, surprised by his question. She was comfortably sitting on top of a pile of blankets, going over the details of their route for the next day. 

“Good? I mean, it feels weird to be leaving once again, but I’m happy to be going with you. Happy to help you find her.”

Zuko smiled all the way from the small desk he was working on. “And I’m happy you feel that way. Spirits, Katara, I don’t think I could ever thank you enough.”

“Sh, no thanks,” she shushed him with a grin. “What are you up to right now? I already wrote my letter to Rya. Poor girl she probably thinks I’m crazy.”

“Crazy for what? Traveling too much?” Zuko laughed. “I’m finishing writing to Uncle, he will not believe you’re coming with me to Gaipan.”

“Trust me, I have a feeling he will not be that surprised,” Katara confessed. “Maybe he’ll only wonder why Sokka is not coming as well. Tell him about the Restoration Project and you’ll be golden.”

“Did you know Sokka gave me the weirdest of talks today?”

_Oh, no. He actually did it._

“Really? Why was it so weird?” 

“Well, maybe I’m exaggerating,” Zuko admitted as he rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous grin taking over his face. “He just told me you’re my responsibility now. Sort of. I guess? I still don’t fully understand whether he was joking or not.”

“Don’t worry about it. He told me something similar this morning. He said we have to take care of each other. I mean, duh?”

Zuko chuckled. “As if he didn’t know us,” he said as he shook his head, laughing. “But it’s nice he worries about us.”

Katara remembered someone else that had shown he cared for them. “Wait, I forgot to tell you. You know who I got a letter from right after lunch? Aang.”

It felt strange but nice, to be able to talk to Zuko about everything and anything. Well, at least leaving out the matter of _feelings_. She was not ready to go there, yet. Still, she enjoyed being able to shoot her thoughts out to him, knowing he would most certainly listen to her. 

“Aang? And what is he up to? Did he said anything important to you?” Zuko seemed pretty interested in talking about him. 

“He’s with Teo at the Northern Air Temple, recruiting people for the restoration plans. He says he misses me and Sokka. I take it he didn’t mention you because he doesn’t even know you’re here.”

Zuko made a slight frown. “Oh, right. Well, I suppose t’s better that way. You and your family might know about my mother but I would prefer it to still be somewhat of a secret.”

Katara straightened up on her pile of blankets. “Zuko, of course,” she said, a reassuring tone in her voice. “Nobody else has to know. Not until we find her, at least, then I guess we could celebrate or something.”

“Yeah, that would be nice.” A nostalgic look crossed his face, which he quickly covered with a smirk. “So things between you and Aang are better?”

“I think so. He sounded very happy, so I take it restoring the Air Temples without me wasn’t so terrible after all.” She felt herself blushing a little. “Have you heard anything from Mai?”

Why did she asked that? On second thought, that hadn’t been the best move. To try to distract the conversation from the boy she used to - kind of - date only to redirect it to the girl the person she liked used to date. Terrible move indeed.

“Um, no, not really. But to be honest I haven’t written to her either.” There was a strain of nervousness detectable in his voice. “I’m giving her some time to readjust. Though now that you mention I feel like I should probably get in touch with her soon.”

“There’s no need for you to feel bad about it. We haven’t even been apart from the others for two weeks.” 

“You’re right,” he said with a smile. “Better not to prompt any questions from them about our search.” 

“Though you know you could tell them, right?”

“Of course, I could. But it’s not my intention to do it just yet.”

“Alright, alright. Have you checked the maps for tomorrow already?”

“Katara, for the millionth time, I’ve checked everything. And so did you, very thoroughly if you let me say so.” 

She made a mischievous smile as she organized the papers around her. “You checked the coordinates?”

“Yes.”

“The list of potential stops?”

“Sure.”

“The villages near Gaipan?”

“Affirmative.”

“And the-“

“Katara!” Zuko exclaimed.

“What?” Her voice reflected the enormous grin that had taken over her face. 

“You know what!” He let out a soft laugh. “You’re doing it on purpose, Miss know it all.” 

“Oh, really? I didn’t even notice.” 

He raised a brow. “You’re as stubborn as they come, did you know?” 

“And you wouldn’t know what to do otherwise,” Katara remarked, a sarcastic tone to her voice. 

“Come on,” Zuko said, standing up and walking up to her. “We’ve done enough planning for today. Let’s go find Sokka and enjoy our last night here.” 

Her last night at the South Pole. The phrase had a rather dramatic ring to it. It was true, in a way. Yet a lie in so many others. Still, for the moment, it really was her last night there. 

“Sure,” Katara said as she stood up. “Let’s find him.” 

* * *

Sunlight glittered all over the iciness of the Southern Water Tribe. Amidst a little cold and a good amount of nostalgia, Katara and Zuko prepared to say goodbye to the South Pole. 

“Katara, I’m going to miss you _so_ much.” Sokka threw himself into her arms, squeezing her tightly.

“Sokka, you know I’ll miss you too,” she replied, holding onto him.

Once her brother pulled apart from their embrace, he looked at Zuko. 

“Buddy, you know it. I have already started missing you. Both of you,” he said as he hugged his friend. 

“We’ll see you soon, alright? Promised,” Zuko reassured him.

“It’s just, _wow._ Who knew we would make it this far. And you two are already leaving…”

“Oh, no,” Katara interrupted. “No, I’m not letting you get nostalgic today.”

“I’m not nostalgic, I’m just remarking the craziness of our lives!”

“Same thing, Sokka,” she replied.

“As you say sist,” he complied. “Alright. You two take care of each other, okay? I’m counting on both of you not to keep their eyes off the other for even one second. Got it?”

Katara and Zuko exchanged an amused look. She wasn’t sure if that was going to be much of a challenge, really. Taking care of each other already came out naturally for them. They were used to save one another. Though, she hoped, there wouldn’t be any need for it. 

“I’ll make sure she’s in a perfect state all day long, buddy,” Zuko said, looking at her from the corner of the eye. “Don’t worry, we’ll stick together.”

“Katara? I’m not hearing your answer.”

“Yes, Sokka.” She rolled her eyes with a smile on her face. “I won’t let anything happen to the person you’ll miss the most.” 

“Again with that joke? _Please_ , make her stop.” Sokka gave her an affectionate punch in her shoulder. “I’ll miss you _both_.”

The three of them shared a final group hug, it was complete with laughter, a bit of a misty-eyes, and a lot of warmth. 

“Kids!” Gran Gran called them. “Get over here!”

They said their goodbyes to her and Pakku, who assured Katara he would personally oversee the plans for the Waterbending Academy alongside Sokka and her dad. 

Although Katata stayed with Gran Gran for an extra moment. 

“Katara, I’m really proud of you,” her grandmother said. “I wish you the best on this journey.”

“Gran Gran,” she shrugged. “I’m coming back soon, don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried, just making sure my fierce waterbender is being taken care of.”

“I am. I’m fine, promised.”

“Ah, I can’t believe how much you’ve grown in a little over a year. You even work at a Medical Center now, and go on searches with the Fire Lord… You’ve become a fine young lady.”

“Thank you, Gran Gran.” Katara gave her one tremendous hug.

“Be safe, alright? I expect to soon have you and your friend back here for a visit. He’s quite something, that young Fire Lord. I could honestly like him a lot more if he stopped keeping you away from us.” She had a smile on her face.

“We will visit soon,” Katara replied. “And Zuko would be pleased to come back.”

“I’m glad. Now off you go, say goodbye to your father.” 

With that said, Gran Gran gave her a little push, prompting Katara to talk to her dad. 

“Dad,” she said. “I’ll miss you. Make sure to take care of Sokka, alright? He’s already missing Suki and I wouldn’t want him to get sad.”

“Oh, Katara. You’re always too sweet. I’ll take care of your brother, don’t worry about it. I bet he’s already got a plan to visit her girlfriend.”

“Well I hope so,” she chucked. “Dad, thank you for the advice you gave me yesterday.” 

“I suppose it’s made you feel any better? I’m glad of being able to help.” The tone of his voice was kind, protective. 

“Yeah, it did.” She hugged him. “I’ll write to you soon, okay?” 

And off they went. The two of them quickly found themselves inside the hot air balloon, checking everything was where it was supposed to be. 

As the balloon lifted from the ground, Katara waved at her family, looking over her home. She would miss it, of course, but she felt eager to start this new journey. 

Everything got smaller down there, with the two of them being higher and higher up in the skies. The view was wonderful. A sheer layer of white and blue hues, her family in the middle. That was the South Pole, a place warmer than anyone would think at a first glance. A place she could always call home, no matter where she was.

Katara felt a hand on her shoulder. 

“Ready?” Zuko asked her.

She smiled, brushing her fingertips against his hand. “More than ready. Let’s find her.”

Amidst the coolness of the weather and the warmth of their company, the search had finally begun. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little fun fact, there’s a canon line from the comics that Hakoda says to Katara in this chapter, though I tweaked it a bit. It’s the one about the “The right kind of love, the kind that’s real...” In the comics, he actually says that to her.
> 
> Weeks ago, I saw a post on Tumblr that correlated that line to Zuko’s sacrifice for Katara. And I knew I wanted to incorporate it into the story. Let me tell you, I love seeing how, even accidentally, the canon content just makes Zutara the perfect couple. Thought I’d tell you guys that detail.  
> Please, feel free to tell me what you think of it! Comments are always deeply appreciated <3  
> 
> 
> One more thing! I realized I’ve never shared my Tumblr on here, and I’m really feeling chatty, so don’t be afraid to say hi over there! You’ll make my day, I guarantee it! You can find me at @sol-tinyrayofsun  
> Alright, that’s all for now! Until the next update, it won’t take so long, I promise!


	23. If It’s Just The Two Of Us

“We’re almost there, right?” 

Up in the air, the wind wasn’t gentle at all. A persistent breeze brushed against the two travelers as the sun was setting upon them. The evening was dying down and leaving way for the night to make its timed appearance. 

The question made Zuko shift his attention from the clouds and back to reality. Alongside Katara, Sokka, he had stayed awake almost all night to prepare for his and Katara’s departure. Now, several hours later, he was starting to feel a little drained because of the lack of proper sleep. Still, he wouldn’t have done it any other way. 

Tilting his head, he found the waterbender sitting down and going through the various papers they had brought with them. “Yeah, don’t worry. We’ll land before it gets too late.”

“How do you even know this Mithsa Island?” she asked, raising a brow. “It’s not exactly on many maps.”

Zuko stepped away from the railing and sat down next to her. “Well, when I first came to the Southern Air Temple on my hunt for the Avatar, I spent a night there. It was quiet enough, perfect for a banished prince.” He finished off with a bittersweet chuckle. 

Katara placed a hand over his knee. “Hey, it’s proving useful now. You know, so we don’t have to camp out in the middle of the ocean or the Air Temple.”

There she was, the girl who could make him feel better about practically anything, brushing her fingers against his leg in a reassuring gesture. Of course, it worked. Though mentioning his banishment hadn’t made him upset, it was just the sleepiness starting to take away his most cohesive words. 

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right,” he said, twitching up his lips to gift her with a soft smile. “So, is our plan all reviewed?”

She grinned in response. “You bet. Tonight, we sleep on the island and leave first thing in the morning to Gaipan. Tomorrow evening we should get there and see what we’re dealing with.”

“I wonder what the place looks like now, Atkin told me that after the flood there was pretty much nothing left.”

“Well, your advisor was right.” A shadow of remorse crossed her eyes. “When we left there, almost the entire village was destroyed. But don’t panic, it’s been a year, I’m sure they’ve rebuilt something.”

“I can only hope so.” Zuko allowed his head to rest heavily against the side of the air balloon, breathing into the cold air. 

“It’ll all be alright, you’ll see,” Katara said. She hadn’t moved her hand yet. 

The stars were already glittering across the night sky, and an overwhelming silence took over them. Zuko realized that - even though they had been spending a lot of time just the two of them - now they were actually _alone_ together. It was only them, nothing more. No one else to call the shots, only two travelers and a hot air balloon. 

“It really is quiet up here.” Katara’s voice echoed in his ears. “At least without Sokka snoring.”

He chuckled, amazed at her peculiar way of missing her brother. “I don’t mind it though.”

“What?” she asked, a playful smirk planted on her face. “Sokka’s snoring or being here just with me?”

Well, someone was feeling like being straightforward tonight. Zuko felt his heart starting to pound inside his chest, betraying his - attempt of a - confident expression. 

Raising a brow, he tried his best not to stutter. “Both? Um, I mean, neither of them are bad things.”

Wrong answer. Definitely the wrong answer. The frown that appeared on her face made him realize it within seconds. Why had he gotten so nervous about a simple - and silly - question? 

He rushed to correct himself. “Being here with you!” His words came out like a mumble. “I’m just messing with you.” 

“Oh, really?” No doubt, she was teasing him. “Or am _I_ messing with _you?”_

Zuko let out a soft laugh, chuckling before speaking. “Seems like it.” Making a pause, his expression turned more serious. “Though I _really_ don’t mind being just the two of us.”

Katara smiled, and the slightest tad of red became visible on her cheeks. “Well, I don’t mind it either.”

“Good to know,” he said. “Now hand me over that map, alright? I want to make sure we’re good to land.”

She picked up the map that rested on the floor by her side, softly brushing his fingertips as she put it in his hands. “There, let’s see.”

Zuko had to take a deep breath before being able to concentrate on the graphics before him. Straightening up the piece of paper, he looked at Katara from the corner of his good eye. She was leaning over his shoulder, her face skimming the creek of his neck, looking at the map that his almost trembling hands were holding. 

How on earth could he possibly mind being just the two of them?

  
  


Mithsa Island was just as quiet as he recalled it to be. Perfect place to spend the night if you’re just trying to lay low and get back to traveling in the morning. 

They settled camp in a small clearing sheltered by a few nearby trees. It was considerably late, but Zuko and Katara still tried to power through a very prompt dinner. Sitting by a little bonfire, she showed him the bag with food her Gran Gran had prepared for them. 

“I swear, we have dumplings for _ages_.” Katara laughed as she offered him one. “At least we know we won’t starve.” 

“Well, isn’t that reassuring?” He took a bite out of one of them. “They’re amazing, as expected.”

“You know, I hope Gaipan has a post office. That way we could at least let everyone know we got there safely.”

“I bet they have _something_. We’ll manage.” He shrugged.

She seemed to hesitate before looking at him and asking. “Still no news from Mai?”

Zuko felt tempted to look away from her. He knew she meant well, but her question still caused him to flinch. Despite the overall positive way things had ended up with Mai, her memory was a constant reminder. A reminder of _why_ they had broken up - if not because of _who,_ to be more precise. And that little detail was becoming increasingly harder to conceal. 

Letting out a sigh, he prompted himself to reply. “Um, no. But we never promised to write often to each other or anything. I’m sure she’s alright. Probably enjoying her new life.” 

Katara’s expression became one of surprise. “Oh, I… I didn’t know that.”

“You didn’t know…” Zuko frowned. “...What?

At once, she looked away, tilting her head to the bonfire. “That you and Mai… You know.”

“Do I?” He didn’t want to be the one to say it. Not when the reason for his breakup was sitting right next to him. Not when the girl he actually wanted to be with was inquiring him about it. If he wasn’t careful enough, he was at risk of confessing the truth. 

“Yes, Zuko, you _know_.” Katara’s eyes seemed glued to the flames. “I wasn’t sure. Neither of you said anything on the matter.”

“Was I supposed to say something?” He couldn’t take his eyes off her even though she was avoiding his gaze.

“No,” she rushed to clarify. “I mean… I just didn’t know for sure what had happened between you two.”

He rounded up the courage. “You mean you didn’t know if we were together or not? That’s why you were worried she didn’t write to me?”

Katara simply nodded, looking too busy with her dumpling to articulate a more detailed response. The weight of his words had been heavier than calculated. 

Carrying on, Zuko let out a sigh. “For starters, I imagined the fact that she was moving with her aunt made things pretty clear.” 

“Hey, I… the rest of us couldn’t know what kind of promises you could’ve made to each other.” Her willingness to speak seemed to be back. 

_Please, don’t make me answer that. Don’t tempt me to confess the truth._

“Well… Now you know.” He wished she could just look at him. “It’s over, for good. That’s why you don’t see me writing to her.”

“Alright,” Katara said. “Now I know.”

Still, he didn’t stop. “It’s not that we hate each other or anything… We’re just keeping our distances. You know Mai, she’s fine on her own… And how did you expect me to bring that up? ‘Hey, want to hear something funny? Yet one more person is disappointed at me for things I literally have no control over’… Even more, all I did was sit in a stupid balcony and talk about my feelings but _sure_ I couldn’t even do that without making a mess, so now I’m just babbling every incohesive thing I can think of because _you_ are here and-“

 _Oh, no_.

He had gotten a little too carried away with his ramble. Truth be told, he saw it coming, and it could’ve been way worse. A part of him was even surprised he hadn’t blurted out his true feelings for her. 

Well, at least Katara was now looking at him. Straight into his troubled golden eyes. 

“And?” she asked. “I’m still listening. You can tell me.”

Of course, he had been foolish enough to vomit all those words to her and she was _still_ willing to listen. Still willing to be there for him. His heart skipped a beat just thinking about it. 

“Nevermind,” Zuko shook his head. “It’s nothing, for real. I just got frustrated.”

“Oh, that’s alright.” She made a soft smile. “You can tell me when you feel like it.”

“Thanks, although I think I’ve embarrassed myself enough for one day.” He shrugged. “The point is, yeah, now you know why Mai doesn’t write to me.”

Katara pressed her knees against her chest, nodding in response. “I’m glad you told me.”

He raised a brow. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

A little quietness made its way to them. Still, it was a warm kind of silence. The subtle sparking of the campfire in front of them filled in the gaps left by the lack of words. 

_Now she knows. She knows for sure I’m not with Mai_ , Zuko thought as he stared at the flames. Colors of red and orange gave way to yellow and white near the heart of the fire. 

The mere idea of Katara reciprocating his feelings turned him into a handful of nerves. Still, it could be a possibility. How had Mai described it? ‘ _Painfully crystal clear.’_ And Sokka had said she never liked Aang in that way… Perhaps he stood a chance. An overly complicated chance. But he had to be sure of something else first. 

“Since you brought up that subject…” Zuko took a deep breath. “Are you and Aang…?”

“No, we’re not,” Katara instantly replied. “I thought that was pretty obvious as well.”

“Yes, I’m sorry.” He looked her in the eye, feeling the incessant way his heart pounded inside his chest. “I just wanted to be sure. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

She shrugged, still holding onto her knees, making a light smile. “You didn’t. I’m serious, you told me about you and Mai, I don’t see why I shouldn’t come clean about Aang.”

“Was it because of the whole Air Temples’ deal?” 

“Something like that. Yeah, that’s what triggered it.” She seemed hesitant. “And you and Mai because of that ‘stupid balcony’?

Zuko couldn’t help but chuckle despite the seriousness of their conversation. “I guess you could put it that way…” 

Katara shook her head, smiling. There was something utterly reassuring about the way her eyes met his. As if one glance could speak on behalf of a thousand words - or feelings - that were difficult to say at the moment. 

Silence found them again. It didn’t matter, not in the slightest. They were alright with staring at the twirling campfire flames together, savoring the unexpected weight lifted off their shoulders. Being just the two of them was a complete delight. 

* * *

No matter how much anticipation he had endured, Zuko was not prepared to see Gaipan. It wasn’t particularly because of the state of the once flooded village, though it was clear it had been previously destroyed, but more due to how real his search felt once he set foot there. 

“So, this is what Gaipan looks now…” Katara said, looking around. 

Before they stood quite the little town, with only a handful of green-roofed houses, a small street market, and a couple of community buildings. Nothing was even the slightest bit of fancy about the place, but it sure was better than what Zuko had expected it to be. 

“Very different compared to what you remembered?”

“Well, yes. But we didn’t spend that much time in the village during those days.”

“I see,” Zuko smirked. He held the map of the Western Earth Kingdom and the portrait of her mother in his hands. “Ready to do this?”

“You mean if I’m ready to knock in every door of this town and inquire them about your mother?” Katara smiled. “Of course I am. Are you?”

He let out a hopeful sigh. “Yeah, I just want to get started once and for all. Don’t get me wrong, I’m terrified, but at least ready to do it.”

She offered him her hand. “Come on then, let’s go find her.”

Shaking his head in utter happiness - Katara usually had that effect on him - he took her hand, carefully interlacing his fingers into hers. “Lead the way.”

To say that the two of them knocked on every door would be an understatement. The pair spent the whole day wandering around the village, asking everyone they saw if they knew a woman named Ursa, with dark brown hair and golden eyes. They would also show the portrait when believed safe and necessary. 

Nothing at the market or the shops, nothing at the post office - except for a couple of actual letters they sent - nothing in anyone’s private homes. 

Zuko was starting to feel frustrated. Their day had started with such high spirits that he could barely recognize himself amidst all the layers of tiredness and anxiety that interfered with his judgement. He had to remain calm. Atkin had told him it was a long-shot, he _knew_ right from the start. Still, his desire for finding his mother was not about to fade away just because of a lack of results. 

Sprinting over to one of the last small shops in town, with the sun already starting to set above them, Zuko noticed Katara looking thoroughly at him. 

“Is something wrong?” he asked, raising a brow.

“What?” She frowned. “No, not at all. I’m just checking up on you.”

“By… staring?” 

“Maybe.” Her voice had a strain of concern to it. “I don’t want you to get disheartened if we get nothing from here. Remember than tons of people moved out after the flood, we should check on the nearby villages as well.” 

“I’m not disheartened,” he said with a sigh. “I’m just eager to find her, that’s all.”

“And we _will,_ Zuko. We’ll find her, I promise.”

“Thank you, Katara.” He gifted her with a soft yet tender smile. “Now let’s get into this… rock shop?”

They stood by the entrance of the tiniest of structures. It had barely the size of a small bedroom. A hand-painted sign at the entrance read _‘Hiromi’s rock shop.’_

“Well, we are in the Earth Kingdom after all,” Katara remarked. 

“But, rocks? Why?”

She chuckled. “Zuko, I’m pretty sure it means _precious_ rocks. You know, like diamonds and quartz and all those shiny little things.”

“Oh.” He laughed. Right, that made way more sense. “Alright, I’m exhausted okay? Let’s go inside.”

The sound of a bell ringing welcomed them to the store. A couple of tables covered with precious stones of all kinds. Amethysts, quartzs, obsidians, moonstones, jaspers, jades, and more. Katara was right. He could definitely see the point of owning a shop like that one, much better than a regular rock shop. 

“Welcome!” A perky voice called their attention. “I’m Hiromi, what can I do for you?”

The two of them headed towards the sound of the voice. Behind one of the counters was a middle-aged lady. She had brown hair and the most bulging gray eyes he had ever seen. 

Zuko started to speak. “Well… We were actually looking for some-”

Hiromi quickly interrupted him, her eyes glowing with excitement. “Oh, don’t tell me you two lovebirds were looking for something special, huh? Well, I’ve got all sorts of necklaces, rings, and bracelets here. Let me show you!” 

Red started to creep into his neck. Katara and he exchanged the most flustered of looks.

“Uh, no, no!” He rushed to say. “We’re not… It not like that…”

“We’re looking for _someone_.” Katara’s voice showed a great deal of determination, although the red on her cheeks gave away how she had also been affected by Hiromi’s insinuation. 

The lady inspected them from head to toe, hands on her hips, and somewhat of a disappointed look in her eyes. 

“I see, it’s a shame though,” she remarked. “Who are you looking for?”

“Her name is Ursa,” Zuko said, taking out the portrait of his mother. “Dark brown hair, golden eyes, she’s well into her thirties. Here, look.”

Hiromi took a good look at the portrait, then looked at Zuko, and back to the image of Ursa. 

Finally, she let out a sigh. “Fire Nation, huh?” 

Zuko frowned. “How did you…?” 

“Oh, please, young man. Those golden eyes you too have are unmistakably Fire Nation.” She shrugged before looking at Katara. “And you my dear, you have water tribe written all over.”

“Alright, alright. Yes, I’m from the Southern water tribe and he’s from the Fire Nation, big deal. Have you seen this woman or not?” Katara’s voice showed she was losing her patience.

“No, I haven’t,” Hiromi replied. “But I know someone who might have. You see, I only came back here after the big flood, when the Fire Nation soldiers had left.”

“Who is it that you know?” Zuko inquired. 

“His name is Uton, he’s also from the Fire Nation. A really old folk, I’ve known him since I was a little girl, he has been around for far longer than any of us that still live here. If anyone has seen who you’re looking for, it’s ought to be him.”

“And where can we find him?” 

“After the flood, he’s sadly built his new home further from the village, you can understand he longed for some peace at his old age.” Hiromi smiled. “It’s only about an hour or so away from here. If you have a map, I’ll gladly show you how to get there.”

“Thanks, that would be perfect,” Katara thanked her. “We have a map.” 

Hiromi then pointed out to them where Uton’s new home was located. It was near the mountains, north of the village. It wouldn’t be too much of a hassle for them to get there. But it was definitely too late to go right away. They would wait one more night and head there first thing in the morning, 

“Alright then, you two are set,” Hiromi said. “So no fancy stone then?”

Katara got red all over again. “No, thank you. But not for me at least. Although…Is that a red coral? she asked, pointing at one of the displays. 

“Ah, yes!” Hiromi took it out and showed it to her. “Red coral, The Nurturer. A symbol of life, energy, and harmony. A wonderful necklace. A fine choice.”

Zuko rushed over to Katara, who was already analyzing the stone. An apprehensive look framed his eyes. “Um, what are you doing?” 

She simply smiled at him, pointing at the small necklace she was holding in her hands. “What does it look like I’m doing?”

“Um, admiring rocks? Trying to throw me off? I don’t know.” 

Luckily for him, Hiromi had apparently decided to give them some privacy. 

“Silly,” she answered, chuckling. “It would be for your mother.” 

“My mother?” He rubbed the nape of his neck. “But why?”

“To thank her, for her sacrifice. She saved you, and you saved me. You are here with me because of her,” Her voice was smooth and calm, yet determined. “I want to if you let me. I know it’s a little superficial but… it’s something.”

Zuko was not expecting such a gesture, not at all. To that very day, Katara still could shock him. It was too sweet of her. How could he not let her do it? In a way, it seemed like a promise. A promise to find his mother. 

He looked at her straight in the eye. “Katara, of course, you can get it for her if you’d like. But you have to know there’s no reason for you to do it.”

“I’m doing it because I want to, thank you,” Katara replied. “Hiromi, I’m buying this one.”

He watched her walk away from his side and up to where Hiromi was sitting. Shaking his head, he made his way near them. 

In the end, Gaipan hadn’t been such a dead-end after all. If that Fire Nation civilian was the right man, he would now be more than one step closer to find his mother. Tiredness, impatience, and uneasiness would not disappear into the night all by themselves. He had to hold on to the things - like Katara’s tender gestures - that gave him hope. And he was willing to do so. 

  
  


“Here.” Katara’s voice broke the momentary silence. “I think we should keep this in our bag for now.”

Zuko tilted his head, he had been a little distracted with getting their tents ready. The quietness of the night had settled him into some kind of trance. Connect a tent pole to another, get lost in a passing thought, look for the other pole, think about something else. And repeat. Over and over again until he was finally sliding the poles into the flaps of the tent. But now Katara was standing behind him, looking over his shoulder. 

He blinked. “What?”

“The necklace,” she replied, offering the small velvet casing. “It’ll be safer there.”

He felt lost for a moment, only to realize the bag was right between him and the tents. He was standing in her way. 

“You sure you don’t want to keep it yourself?”

Katara shook her head. “No, I’d rather not risk it.”

“Alright,” he said with a smile. “Let me put it in the bag then.”

Katara handed him the casing, twitching her lips into a tender grin. “Done with the tents?” 

“Yeah, I think so.” Once he put the necklace safe inside the bag, he turned back to her. “Feeling in the mood for some kale cookies?”

She smiled. “Always.”

Another day that was ending with the two of them by the campfire. The situation already had a certain familiarity to it. Watching as the stars twinkled above them, listening to the soft crippling of the fire, and chatting about everything and anything, it felt _right._ Right to be there with her, despite the - not so nice - reasons for them to be alone together. 

Katara put down her food to look at him. “How are you feeling about tomorrow?” 

Zuko lifted his sight from the cookie he was nibbling. “Hopeful? Excited? A little terrified?” He let out a big sigh. “I don’t know.”

“Terrified?” She frowned. “Why’s that?”

“Because I haven’t seen her in six years.” He took one final bite of his cookie. “There’s so much we’ve both missed about each other’s life. There’s so much about _me_ she doesn’t know, I’ve changed a lot.”

“Zuko,” Katara said, her voice sounding as soothing as possible. “You shouldn’t worry too much about that. I’m certain your mom will be too happy about seeing you again to care for anything else. You’re her son, she’ll love you no matter what.”

“I just want her back in my life once and for all.” He shifted on the spot to face her, leaning his elbows into his knees and resting his head on top of his hands. “I’ve got some serious ‘making up for the lost time’ to do.”

Katara shifted as well, mirroring his position. “You’ve got anything planned for when we find her?”

Perhaps having hopes and plans wasn’t the smartest thing to do. A part of him lived in constant fear of never finding her. But there was something about Katara’s words, something about the way she phrased them - tender eyes and a soft yet cheerful smile - that made him want to dream. To feel hopeful and trustful for the future.

“Well,” he said, making a playful smirk. “First I think I would have to introduce you two.”

He saw Katara’s eyes widening, and she scrunched her nose a little before speaking. “Now I’m the one feeling terrified. Cheers to me for getting her that necklace then.”

“Terrified, huh? And why’s that?”

“Well…” Her cheeks had turned a tad red. “I guess I really want her to like me? I mean, she’s a big part of your life… Imagine if she thinks I’m the worst friend ever or something.” 

The word _friend_ came out of her mouth rushed and in a stutter, and Zuko didn’t fail to notice it. Were they really _just_ friends? Technically, the answer was yes, but his gut told him it wasn’t correct. Well, at least on his side. Katara was so much more than a friend, so much more than just a girl he liked. She was everything he could ever possibly hope for. He just longed not to be the only one of them who felt that way. 

“Katara, how could you ever be the worst at anything?” He shook his head, chuckling. “My mother will love you just from knowing you helped me find her.”

“Thanks,” she answered, nervously batting her eyelashes. “Still, that doesn’t quite answer what I asked you.”

Zuko leaned forward, lessening the distance between them. “And what was the question again?” His voice had acquired a kittenish ring. 

Katara grinned, bending towards him. “Why are we whispering now?”

The way her ocean eyes were glistening with the flickering flames of the campfire caused Zuko to become out of breath. The distance between them had shortened more than he could’ve ever expected. He could feel the air she was breathing, heavily inhaling and exhaling, interlacing with his personal space. Their proximity was intoxicating. 

“I’m not sure,” he replied. “But I don’t mind.”

They sat still, barely an inch away from one another. Their noses were almost touching. Their eyes were glued to each other’s, sharing what could as well be the most intense glare of his life. His heart was brutally pounding inside his chest, so much that he even worried if Katara was able to sense it as well. 

Zuko wanted to just give in and kiss her already. Give in and confess the way he truly felt for her. Close his eyes and press his lips onto hers, run his fingers through her hair, and hold her close. Every fiber of his being begged him to follow his heart and put an end to the distance between them.

But he didn’t. 

Too much was happening. He wasn’t even sure Katara felt that way about him. Weeks ago they were still involved with other people. Aang was one of his best friends. They were on the eve of finding his mother. She had left everything to join him.

No, it wouldn’t be fair. It wouldn’t be appropriate to just kiss her like that. When only the day before they had finally confirmed to each other that they no longer had any strings attaching them to anyone else. 

He needed to be certain she wanted the same. Certain that one kiss wouldn’t jeopardize the bond they shared, the relationship they had managed to build. 

If it was meant to be - and a hunch told him that _really_ was the case - then he could wait. Wait all the time necessary, just for her. No matter how long that could be, he knew it would be worth it in the end. 

That’s how, instead of kissing her, Zuko threw his arms around Katara’s back and tugged her in for the tenderest of embraces. 

He could now feel her heart beating, pounding just as violently as the one inside his chest. Allowing his head to rest on her shoulder, he closed his eyes. An overwhelming need to smile took over him. It certainly wasn’t his first time hugging Katara, but there was an unspoken intimacy to the moment. An unspoken confirmation of something else.

Her voice pulled him out of the trance. “Zuko, are you okay?” 

He nodded, hoping she was able to feel it. “Thank you, Katara.” His words came out like a whisper. “Thank you for staying with me.”

Katara brushed her fingertips against his back, somehow managing to make him even more flustered. “Oh, Zuko. You’re not getting rid of me anytime soon.”

 _I don’t ever want to_ , he thought, holding her tighter. _I don’t ever want to be apart from you again._

Though Zuko didn’t say those words out loud, he had a feeling she already knew about them. About the way his pulse was racing and his heart pounded as if it was the end of the world. Staying glued to each other was an acknowledgment of their deepest feelings.

In a way, his whole world was _right there._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a brutal love/hate relationship with almost kisses. But oh boy does it feel great to write them. Ideally, I made you guys feel something when reading about it too.  
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Remember feedback is always really appreciated <3  
> Until the next update! Lots of love!


	24. Blinking At The End Of The Road

Daylight couldn’t have come fast enough. The journey to Uton’s house was favored with clear skies and warmer weather than the one from the previous days of travel. Up in the heights, gentle rays of sunshine brushed their skin, bringing a reassuring sensation amid all the eagerness that was - almost - palpable in the air. 

Despite the uncertainty, Katara felt confident in their search. She was willing to follow him to wherever it would take them. The entire way had been filled with the soft echo of her voice, chattering to him about anything and everything, trying to keep him distracted. She understood. She knew how easy it could be to feel consumed by a cause, allowing that sensation to take away from everything else. But Zuko had been there for her during that phase. Now, it was her turn to do the same. 

And what a time they’ve had together so far. Katara still couldn’t believe how open they had both been about their past involvements with Aang and Mai. She thought her fallout with Aang had been obvious to everyone, but apparently, that hadn’t been the case for Zuko. How lucky of her to have had the chance of clarifying the matter with him, alongside the whole Mai business. It had been a relief to hear about what had really happened between the two of them. To have Zuko confirm that his relationship with the girl was over for good had made her heart beat faster than ever. Because her feelings for him were everything but slowing down. And if the two of them were free to be with anyone they wanted… Well, that couldn’t hurt. 

Needless to say, the way he held her in his arms the previous night had sent her mind into a spiral of overly emotional thoughts. Even the slightest gesture from him was enough to get her pulse racing like wildfire. Though it was not the time to think about feelings - romantic ones at least - at that moment. She knew they had something else to worry about. 

As soon as they distinguished a house on the horizon, they knew it was time to prepare for landing. Hiromi had been right, the small cottage was settled in a clearing, surrounded by a few trees, and with the mountains resting behind it. Not bad at all to spend a life of quietness. Especially after living through a war  _ and _ a flood. 

Once the two travelers found themselves at the front door, Katara tilted her head to look at the boy standing next to her. 

“Whenever you’re ready,” she said, putting one hand on top of his shoulder. 

Zuko gifted her the tenderest of smiles in return. “Now.”

He knocked on the door, holding his breath as he waited for a response. Katara noticed her scarred eye twitching a little, most certainly because of how nervous he was. She squeezed his shoulder, wishing she could take all his uneasiness away. 

Luckily for them, the door didn’t take long to be open. A gentle-looking old man came out from the inside, with his eyebrows raised into a curious expression. It was Uton.

He rushed to greet them. “Hello, what can I do for you?” 

“Hi, um, good morning,” Zuko mumbled. “Hiromi sent us from Gaipan to see you, she said you might be able to help us with something. You’re Uton, right?”

The man seemed surprised by the situation. “Yes, I am. And you two are…?”

“Well,” Katara rushed to answer. “I’m Katara, and this is Zuko.” Pointing at him, she realized he might’ve preferred to keep his identity hidden. 

Uton immediately flinched. “Fire Lord Zuko?”

Zuko gave Katara a look that said  _ ‘please, help’ _ , before calmly nodding. “Yes, Fire Lord Zuko. But you mustn’t tell anyone I’m here.” 

“My Lord, it’s my pleasure to help you in whatever you may need,” Uton said as he made a bow. 

Katara noticed Zuko’s cheek turning a little red. Although used to that kind of treatment within the Fire Nation, the last weeks for him had been ones of much less frigidity and politeness. He must’ve been a little rusty. 

“Uton, there’s really no need,” Zuko said. “Now, if you would just let us in.”

The man did as he said, inviting them to his home with a prideful expression on his face. 

As soon as they were inside, Uton led them to the kitchen. There, he graciously offered them to sit by the dinner table while he prepared some tea. 

Once the three of them were sitting down, Zuko prepared to speak. Katara noticed the way he held onto the teacup, nervously batting his eyelashes, as he took a breath before finally saying what they were there for. 

“Uton, we are looking for a woman named Ursa,” he explained. “Here, let me show you what she looks like.” 

Zuko pulled out of his bag his mother’s portrait, being careful not to damage it in any way. Then, he extended it over the table. A look of acknowledgment crossed Uton’s eyes. 

“That’s Noriko,” the man stated. “I know her.”

Katara shot Zuko a look of complete confusion. He glanced back at her, with a stressed frown in his face. 

“You know this woman?” His eyes were wide open. “Are you sure? Because her name is Ursa, not Noriko.”

Uton nodded with vehemence. “I’m sure, my Lord. And I’m sorry, but I knew her as Noriko.”

Katara observed as Zuko let out an exasperated sigh. In all honesty, she was making an effort not to react the same way. It didn’t make any sense. Why would Ursa be known as Noriko?

“Zuko,” she began to say, placing her hand on his back. “Maybe if you tell him…” 

“Not yet,” he rushed to say, before looking back at Uton. “And how do you know her? Do you know where she might be now? Please, we need all the information available.”

“She came to Gaipan about five or six years ago,” Uton started to explain. “It only took one good look at her for me to realize she was from the Fire Nation, just like me. There weren’t many of us around this lands back then, at least the ones that were not soldiers. She presented herself as Noriko, and tried to settle down in the village as a master herbalist, which she did have the talent for.” The old man made a pause as he took a sip of his tea. 

“And?” Katara asked. “Why is she not there then?” 

“As I said, she  _ tried _ to settle down. I knew right from the start she had been through a lot, but she still tried. But it didn’t last long,” he sighed. “There was a group of rebels back then, fighting the war in any way they could, and with time she started frequenting their meetings. Well, most of the village did, including me a few times. You have to understand, my Lord, that the military outpost once set in Gaipan did a lot of harm to the village.”

“Uton,” Zuko mouthed. “I understand. Now tell me, what happened?”

“Noriko - um, sorry - Ursa, said she had valuable information about the Fire Nation’s government. She said she had the information necessary to have a chance of ending the war once and for all, but that the rebel cause needed help. So it was decided that she and a small group of revolutionaries would travel to Ba Sing Se to pass down the intel to the Earth Kingdom, in hopes he would lead a counterattack to put an end to the matter.”

Zuko’s eyes widened, and Katara noticed the way his entire body flinched. An instant of silence found its way to the table, as Uton took another sip from the tea. The two travelers did the same, eager to know more. 

“They parted not so long after the last meeting,” Uton continued. “They were determined to get Ursa to confide King Kuei with the information and gain his help. But they returned empty-handed, looking more lost than ever before. The determination in their eyes had disappeared almost completely. None of them mentioned a word about the plan. And Ursa left shortly after coming back.”

“Wait, she left Gaipan before the flood?” Zuko turned pale. “Why?”

“She was never supposed to stay there for any longer, my Lord, she said it herself from the beginning. She confessed to me that she had been forced to flee there because of some unfortunate circumstances, I don’t know any details,” Uton explained, his eyes glued to Zuko’s. “But I have to admit I didn’t expect her to leave the way she did. Once she returned from Ba Sing Se, she said she had to go back to her home. She said her family was waiting for her. I, for once, wasn’t even aware she had any family left.”

The look on Zuko’s face made her heart sink deep into her chest. It was evident he was disappointed, confused, and despondent at the same time. Who could blame him? Katara felt his distress as her own, wishing she could ease away those emotions from him. 

“She has family  _ still _ waiting for her,” Zuko finally said. “Please, tell me you have at least the slightest of clues about where she could be right now.” 

“I’m sorry, my Lord,” Uton mouthed, lowering down his sight. “All she told me was that she decided to head back home, find her family, go back to the peace of her hometown. To be honest, I thought it was a sudden change of mind.”

“Peace?” Zuko’s eyes widened as he asked. “Her hometown?”

“Yes, my Lord,” Uton replied. “She mentioned her parents would be wondering where she was… I genuinely think she snapped, she seemed different on the eve of her departure.”

Zuko put his head between his hands, leaning his elbows on the table. Katara knew he was trying to put up a strong front in presence of Uton, a civilian of his nation. Still, she wondered if bottling up his feelings was the best path to take. 

Once Zuko lifted his sight, his eyes seemed a bit watery. “And you have no idea of where this hometown she talked about might be, right?”

“No, my Lord, I don’t.” 

“Uton, I’m going to confide you with information no one else must know,” Zuko said, his voice shaking. “This woman is my mother. That’s why I need you to  _ please _ remember everything she might’ve told you that results of any relevance on our search for her.”

“I see.” Uton’s eyes widened as he nodded attentively. “Of course, my Lord, let me start from the beginning.” 

The old man shared even the tiniest detail about his time being friends with Ursa. How alone and desperate she had looked from the moment she stepped into the village. Her name being Noriko. The way she had tried to accommodate to life as a master herbalist in town, but always talking about leaving soon, seeming restless at all times. Her welcoming and nurturing personality, despite how secretive and closed off she could come off as first. How passionate she had become for the anti-war cause, her determination to share her information with the Earth King. The sudden shift in not only her attitude but the one of every single person who had traveled to Ba Sing Se. The abruptness of her departure. Her farewell to Gaipan being filled with hopes about returning to her hometown and go back to her family, regaining the peacefulness of her old life. 

Katara could not believe what she was hearing. How did Ursa disappear just like that? Not even Uton seemed to be able to grasp some sense into the way things had unfolded. And it had been her second time around. 

The rest of their day was spent in that same table, with Zuko listening with a passion for everything he could about his mother. Katara sat right by his side, paying attention to every detail, and trying to see if they had maybe missed a crucial bit of information. But they hadn’t. The question seemed to lie in where exactly had Ursa gone to after leaving Gaipan. And that was one tricky little detail. 

The hours went by, and Katara noticed Zuko seemed to be enjoying Uton’s company and anecdotes. Perhaps the stories helped him distract from the truth they had to eventually face: they were practically back at square one. Despite enjoying their time there, she worried about Zuko’s headspace. The last thing she wanted was for him to suffer about the whole matter, and she knew that was bound to be inevitable. She had always known, but it still made her feel powerless. 

Midday turned into the afternoon, which became the late evening. Soon enough, Uton had offered them to stay for the night, assuring them he - luckily - had everything set for a nice dinner. With just one look, the two travelers had agreed. They would spend the night there and figure out what to do during the morning. The shock of the news was still too recent, and it would’ve been foolish of them to just dive into the night without any sort of proper plan. No, they could afford a few hours more in the company of Uton. 

Dinner found the three of them chattering about a little bit of everything and anything, over some bean curd puff Uton had prepared. It was a little unbelievable, the Fire Lord and Master Katara having dinner with a stranger in a corner of the Earth Kingdom amidst an exhaustive search. 

But Katara got even more surprised when she casually mentioned her brother in the middle of their conversation.

“Did you say Sokka?” Uton asked eyes widened. “Because I’ve met someone named Sokka.”

“A Sokka from the Southern Water Tribe who always carries a boomerang with him?” Katara raised a brow. “You must’ve met him when he warned all of you about the flood.”

“Wait, you were there that day?” Uton mouthed. “Your brother not only warned the entire village about the flood, but he rescued me from a bunch of kids that robbed me. A fine young man, I’ve got to say, Gaipan owes him.”

“I can’t believe you are  _ that _ man!” she exclaimed. “Sokka said you were the reason everyone listened to his warning about the falling of the damp.” 

Uton smiled. “As I’ve said, there weren’t many of us Fire Nation civilians around these lands. They still aren’t many to this day.” 

It felt good to know Uton wasn’t a complete stranger after all. If Sokka had once trusted the man, it helped her feel like she could trust him too. They even talked a bit more about her brother, enjoying the food, and making an effort to lighten up the spirits despite the challenging news. 

Katara would repeatedly look in Zuko’s direction, trying to figure out how he was holding up underneath his Fire Lord facade. On occasion, he would notice her staring and rapidly gift her with a slight smirk. Still, she was able to see right through him. Behind his calm expression, there was a disconsolate look in his eyes. A part of her was eager to be left alone with him, so they could discuss what to do with the new information. But she was also very aware of the negative connotations of what they had found out. It was not going to be all that easy to resume the search after only recovering a few bits and pieces of Ursa’s past. 

By the time dinner was over, Uton started to, once again, apologize for the lack of proper sleeping quarters for each of them. He had already addressed the issue before, explaining to them he only had one guest room - luckily enough with two single beds - and that he felt sorry for not being able to accommodate them more comfortably. Of course, Katara and Zuko had brushed him off, making it very clear to the old man that sharing a guest room was far better than sleeping on a tent in the middle of the woods. Perhaps it wasn’t the most decorous thing to do but for two people that had traveled across the world together for months, it wasn’t anything too new. 

“Nonsense,” Zuko said, shaking his head. “As long as it’s fine with Master Katara, it’s perfectly fine by me.”

“But my Lord,” Uton insisted. “Perhaps I could give one of you my room-“

“Uton, there’s no need,” Katara interrupted him, throwing her hands up in the air. “Fire Lord Zuko and I have traveled together many other times, I can assure you we’ll manage to share a room for a few hours.”

And so it was settled, they would share the guest room. Much better than a tent, indeed.

Night had fallen in the Western Earth Kingdom. Nothing but darkness was visible from the windows of Uton’s house. The place was silent, with his owner already recorded to his room and the two travelers getting ready to do the same. It had been quite a long and eventful day. 

Katara got out of the bathroom, freshly changed, and ready to get some much-needed sleep. When she found herself standing in front of the guest room’s door, she did not hesitate for even one second. She had waited all day for a moment in which she could talk to Zuko about what they had discovered.

Walking right through the door, what she found made her heart sink. The room was dimly illuminated by a single candlelight, but she could see Zuko sitting down on his bed. He had the most defeated look on his face, with watery eyes and a sorrowful frown. Had he been crying? It certainly appeared to be the case. 

As soon as he saw her, Zuko lifted his sight, trying to conceal his anguish. 

“Zuko,” Katara said, shutting the door behind her and sitting next to him. “Are you okay?” 

His eyes widened despite being misty. “I would say yes, but then you would probably punch me in the ribs for lying.”

She twitched her lips into a soft smile. “I definitely would. Now, talk to me.” 

He took a shaky breath. “What do you want me to talk about?” 

Katara leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees and letting her head fall heavy into her hands. She tilted her head to be able to face Zuko, slightly invading his space. A concerned yet tender look was reflected through her eyes. 

“You  _ know _ you don’t need to put up a strong front for me,” she mouthed. “I’m not about to pretend that everything is normal after what Uton told us.”

“Normal?” Zuko bitterly chuckled. “There’s nothing normal about this situation.”

“Well, then.” There was a soothing aspect to the way she phrased her words. “We have to make it better.” 

“Katara, listen.” He sank his head in between his arms. “Don’t you realize what this means?”

“It means we must hurry to find out where your mother’s hometown is and go there to find her.”

“No,” he grunted. “It means I’ll have to talk to my father. No one else will have a clue of where she could have run off to.”

“What?” There was no way Ozai was their only choice now. Things couldn’t be that bad. 

“I don’t know my mother’s family in the slightest; in all those years, she did not mention them once. I don’t even think she was allowed to. And Atkin doesn’t know, I’m sure. It’s always like that with the wicked man I have for a father, secrets, secrets, and more secrets.” His voice angrily trailed off. 

Katara blinked, nervously batting her eyelashes. “But there has to be-”

“No!” Zuko stood up, his entire body shuddering. “I’ve already gone over this a hundred times in my head. I’m doomed to see him. I  _ have _ to if I want to figure out where my mother is.”

She had stayed put, still sitting on the bed, thoroughly looking at him. 

“And we all know what his answer will be,” he continued. “‘Zuko, you are a complete disgrace, just like your dear mother. I’ll never allow you to be reunited with her.’”

Zuko’s eyes were full of tears, which threathened to start streaming down his cheeks. He had a certain stillness, a disconsolate look on his face. Even standing up, he had never looked so small, desolated, or defeated. It was clear the mere thought of his father being his only hope tormented every fiber of his being. 

“Zuko, we’ll find a way-”

“It’s pointless,” he cried out. “I’ll have to face him, one more time. Agni, how could I’ve been stupid enough to allow myself to get my hopes up?”

Teardrops were now falling from his chin, drenching his shirt. Zuko plummeted down to the floor, shakily breathing. He fell to his knees, right in front of her. Not quite moving, his eyes got lost in the wall behind them, crystalized with his tears. 

Katara wasn’t expecting him to be so vulnerable in front of her, at least based on the attitude he had maintained all day. She hated knowing he was in pain. It made her feel powerless. The memory of how weeks ago she had been the one sobbing on the floor, how he had stayed with her all night, the way he had managed to calm her down, suddenly invaded her mind. This time, it was up to her to take care of him. 

She leaned towards the floor, sitting down. Tugging Zuko’s shirt, she pulled him closer. Still on his knees, he accepted her touch, crumbling apart as she threw her hands around his neck. 

“It’s okay, you’re not with him yet.” She stroked his back, in an attempt to make him feel safe. “You’re here, we’ll figure this out together.”

Zuko silently sobbed into her chest, hands clutching at her sides. She held him without saying any more words, focused on being there for him. 

Her heart ached for the boy crying in her arms, as she realized the extent of his words. All the progress regarding their search seemed so small out of the sudden. If Ozai really was their only hope, they were trapped in a corner. Still, she couldn’t allow herself to go down that path at the moment. It was late, and their thoughts were blurry behind the worrying. Perhaps their best bet would be to talk it through in the morning. 

A brief lapse let Zuko pull away, his blinking lashes heavy with treacherous tears. His eyes met hers, and Katara caught a glimpse of warmth in them. But he didn’t take long to tug her in for another embrace, resting his head on the creek of her neck. 

“I’m already dreading the moment,” he whispered in her ear. “Talking to him it’s infuriating. Spirits, his actions forced my mother to change her own name.” 

Holding him tight, she dragged them both to their feet, climbing back on the bed. The floor was certainly not the best place to be in the middle of the night. Zuko let her guide him, still looking defeated yet a little more put together. 

Once they were resting with their backs against the wall, she softly cupped his cheeks. “I know, but you don’t have to do it all on your own this time.”

“I hate feeling like this,” Zuko mouthed, letting out a sigh. “I hate the way he makes me feel weak, powerless. And now I have to face him again.” 

“You’re not weak,” Katara said, looking into his golden eyes. “You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met. Look at you, Fire Lord, realize all the good you’ve done, notice the way your people respect you, think about how much your friends care for you, how much  _ I _ care for you.” 

Zuko chucked in between the tears. “Still, here I am, bawling my eyes out in front of you.” 

She stroked his hair, wrapping her arms around him again. “You can always count on me. You said it yourself,  _ we save each other. _ ”

He smiled against her shoulder. “I meant every one of those words.”

Her heart hammered against her chest as she tried not to think about how close they were to each other. It wasn’t the time to get dizzy amid feelings, they had a serious complication ahead of them. Still, she couldn’t help but think about how he most surely was able to sense the urgent beating of her heart. Just like she was feeling his heartbeat in that exact moment. 

“I know, Zuko,” she whispered. “I know.”

“I’m sorry for being so gloomy today.” His voice was shaky. “I just feel like I’ve lost her all over again.” 

“We’ll find her, I promise you,” Katara reassured him. “And you don’t need to apologize. I’m here, you can be as vulnerable or sad as you’d like.”

“I think I’m good right about here,” Zuko said as his arms encircled her waist, his head going back to rest on the creek of her neck. “Thank you for being there for me.”

_ Always _ , she thought, tightening her grip around him.  _ Whatever that means, that’s how long I could stay next to you. _

It was a simple - and somewhat cliche- word to say. What did it actually mean? Because nothing really lasts forever, so the extent of what ‘always’ signified would remain unknown for the rest of her life. Still, holding onto him, that was the very first thing that crossed her mind. 

So why not just say it?. 

“Always.” A simple word, for a complicated time. 

A gentle squeeze from him was enough to know her response had been right. 

Katara sensed the strain of sleepiness in his movements, recognizing she was also feeling utterly worn out. Cuddling up next to him, she allowed her eyes to fall heavy. She felt Zuko’s breathing becoming steadier, more peaceful with every inhale and exhale. He was rapidly falling asleep. 

A moment of quietness gave way to a dozen more. The night was silent, and the only candlelight in the room was increasingly dimming down with every passing second. They were still there, holding onto each other as tiredness threatened to take over them. 

Katara felt her mind dragging her into the oblivion of sleep, despite not even being on her assigned bed. Deep down, she couldn’t care less. Digging deeper, she  _ wanted _ to stay right on that spot. With her arms interlaced against Zuko, listening to his breathing and feeling the warmth of their closeness. 

And she was going to stay there. Her consciousness had already ebbed. 

The morning would allow for a proper discussion regarding what their next move should be. For the moment, Katara simply fell into a soothing sleep. Next to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uton being the Fire Nation civilian Sokka aided in Book One was something I had very clear right from my first outline of the story. I just have a thing for tiny details of the canonical events interlacing with what's happening here. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Remember feedback is always really appreciated <3  
> Until the next update guys!


	25. Erratic Headspace

A few tingling rays of sunshine made their way through the window. Zuko felt its warmth gently inviting him to wake up. With his eyes still closed and taking the time to shed the sleep from his brain, something caught his attention. He was definitely not alone in that bed. 

An arm delicately wrapped around his torso, a head resting on the creek of his neck, his hand grasping someone else’s back. An extra heartbeat, pounding in harmony with his own. 

_ Katara. _

Zuko couldn’t help but smile while recalling the way he had fallen asleep. Oddly enough, he remembered them resting with their backs against the wall, a little - or, to be honest, very - tangled into each other. But now their backs laid flat on the bed. How did they end up like that? Whatever the answer, he didn’t care all that much, simply feeling grateful to have her by his side. 

Opening his eyes, the tenderest of emotions took over him. Katara was sleeping on his chest, with a peaceful expression on her face. She was holding onto him and so was he. Her breathing was the most soothing sound he could’ve ever asked for. For a moment, Zuko felt the need to pinch himself and check if it wasn’t all a dream because having the person he was head over heels oversleeping right next to him certainly felt like one. The distance between them - both emotional  _ and _ physical - had done nothing but shortened over the last couple of months. And the possibility of her reciprocating his feelings acquired more and more sense as time flew by. Though he didn’t want to push his luck just yet. For now, their newfound closeness should be enough. 

But not everything was as easy as sleeping next to Katara. The revelations about his mother echoed across his mind. Weeks of planning, researching, and anticipation for him to just have to go back to square one. The last thing he had foreseen was having to start over, especially after dragging her into such disarray. It was heart-rending. 

All the happiness that had flooded his body whilst waking up suddenly faded away, leaving space for a distressing concern. He would have to face his father once again. It couldn’t get any worse than that, right? Despite having talked to him about his mother before, the idea of doing so this time around - knowing some of the truth about her - made him feel instantly exhausted. If his father was his only hope of knowing where she could be at the moment, then he’d better come up with a way to make him talk once and for all. 

Resolving his joyful instant had already been tinted with sorrow, thanks to his current situation and excessive worrying about it, Zuko decided to get started with his day. He carefully grasped Katara’s arm and lifted it from his torso, as he moved to the edge of the bed. He also made sure her head would comfortably rest on the pillow once he straightened up. He planted his feet on the floor, tilting his head to look back at her. Finally, he got up and took the blanket out of the other bed, gently covering Katara with it. Despite the warmer weather, something urged him to do so. No matter how scared for the future he felt, the waterbender peacefully sleeping in front of him always managed to shed a little light on his most dreadful thoughts. 

And well,  _ that _ was a whole different issue. Zuko wasn't entirely sure about how much longer he would be able to conceal his feelings for her. To his eyes, it was already more than obvious. And apparently, Toph and Mai had also sensed things that way, according to what both had said to him on the subject. But even if the way he felt about Katara was crystal clear, nothing guaranteed she felt the same. Even more, in the ideal case that she had feelings for him as well, what about Aang? Or Mai? Or everyone else for that matter? 

No, he couldn’t afford to think about it at the moment. Not without first figuring out what to do regarding the search of his mother. Of course, he would prefer to just spill his heart out to Katara and hope for a chance, but cautiousness was needed. And he wasn’t exactly in the right headspace for a confession. His mind felt foggy, invaded with preoccupation. Things had to be sorted out first. 

Walking up to their bags, Zuko began organizing their belongings. He had to make sure they had everything ready. Although, ready for what? What was the next step to take? He felt clueless. So instead of allowing himself to fall into another pit of concerns, he grabbed his clothes and headed to the bathroom to change. 

Once Zuko was back in the guestroom, he started packing up his stuff. The sunlight had already filled the entire space. Considering his gloomy state of mind, at least the day seemed to be a little more cheerful. 

“Hey.” A voice more than familiar caught his attention, causing him to turn around. 

Katara was sitting straight on the bed, messy-haired and with sleepy eyes. The look on her face could be described as a mixture of tenderness and bewilderment. 

“Good morning,” he mumbled. “Sorry for waking you up, I was just packing up my things.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she said with a light smile. 

“Did you sleep well enough?” Zuko asked, turning red the second the words left his mouth. 

He instantly wished for the floor to swallow him right there and then. Apparently, even on his worst days he still had the talent of saying stupid things. How would Katara take that question? Because they had slept on  _ the same bed. _ The last thing he wanted was to come out as inappropriate. 

Her cheeks turned red as well, and she momentarily sank her eyes on the blankets. 

“Yeah, I did.” Then she looked back at him. “Did you put the blanket over me?” 

“Mmm,” he hummed. “I didn’t want you to get cold.” 

Smiling, Katara shook her head. “Well, that was a good idea, especially since you’re pretty much a human stove.” 

Zuko raised a brow. “A what now?”

“Well, you know,” she chuckled. “You are, um, a firebender? So you were… pretty warm all night? Because, um, we fell asleep together and-“

“Katara, I was just messing with you,” he interrupted, letting out a laugh. “I’m aware of my abnormally high body temperature. I’m… Well, I’m glad it was of some use last night.”

She turned red all over again, making Zuko question his every word. The way they were talking threw him off in more than one sense. Because it was impossible to overlook the fact that he had woken up with Katara sleeping in his arms. And she had to be  _ very _ aware of it too, right? 

Katara chuckled, eyes wide open. “Sorry I… I just fell asleep there. I didn’t mean to steal your bed.” 

“You didn’t steal my bed, don’t be silly,” Zuko mumbled. “Actually… Thank you. Thank you for comforting me last night.” 

His mind drifted back to the problems. Guilt started rippling through him as he caught himself getting distracted from his goal. Flirting - if that’s what was happening there - with Katara could wait, couldn’t it? He had to deal with reality first. 

But her voice pulled him out of the overthinking mess he was getting himself into. 

“Zuko,” she said. “You know I’ll always be there for you.” 

Approaching the bed and sitting next to her, Zuko let out a sigh. “And I’ll be there for you,” he declared before lowering down his sight. “I’m sorry, I just can’t stand this situation.” 

“Having to talk to your father?” Katara asked. 

Zuko nodded, feeling a lump on his throat. “Look, I don’t even know what we should do next. If you want out, just tell me.”

She made a concerned frown. “Out? What are you saying?”

“I’m saying,” he explained with a shaky voice. “That I can take you back to the South Pole, I’ll understand. I don’t want you to feel obligated to do this with me.”

“Zuko, are you kidding me?” She seemed astonished.

“You know I’m not.” He finally lifted his sight, looking into her eyes. “I have no way of knowing how long this will take, I don’t intend to hold you back… from whatever you might want to do”

Katara placed a hand on his forearm, her eyes glistening in the sunlit room. “No,” she said, determination visible through her voice. “I’m coming with you.”

His heart skipped a beat. Was she really willing to spend Agni knew how long in helping him with his search? 

“Are you sure?” Zuko was suddenly very aware of the way her fingertips brushed his arm. 

“More than sure,” she replied with a smile. “We’re doing this together.” 

Something about the way she phrased her statement made him regain a little hope.

“Alright then.” He grinned. “So… We’re going back to the Fire Nation then…” 

She nodded in approval. “Yes, we are. And what’s the plan once we get there?” 

A plan? Right, he couldn’t just scream at Ozai for hours and expect it to work. Or could he? His mind was still blurry.

“First, I think we should have a good talk with Uncle about all of this” 

“Right, your uncle!” Katara exclaimed. “I almost forgot he was serving as Interim Fire Lord.”

“He’ll want to know everything.” He shrugged. “And I certainly could use a piece or two of his advice right now.” 

“Perhaps he knows how to get to Ozai, he’s his brother after all,” she suggested. 

Zuko raised a hesitant brow. “They were never particularly close, you know? But we can definitely ask him.”

“I’m eager to talk to him once we get back.” She made a brief pause as if she was realizing something. “Hey, it’s a little crazy, isn't it? We were all in the Fire Nation, then we went to Ba Sing Se, after that, it was only Sokka, you, and me at the South Pole… And now it’s just us. Us, going _ back _ to where we started.”

“Well…” Zuko hesitated. “It is crazy, but you know you’ll always have your room ready for you at the Palace, right? You can… You could stay…. Um, for as long as you might want. Anytime.”

There, he had managed to speak a bit of the truth. He would be delighted if Katara decided to spend a significant and recurring amount of time at the Fire Nation. After all, she had admitted herself that she enjoyed her work at the Medical Center. In a perfect world, he would get to see her as often as he had gotten used to. The sheer thought of being apart from her for weeks was enough to make him flinch. Still, he had to bring himself back to the present. For the time being, finding his mother occupied most of his headspace. 

But Katara’s response made his heart melt all over again. 

“Zuko…” Her eyes showed tenderness, and something else he couldn’t quite put into words. “That means a lot to me, for real. The fact that you make me feel so welcomed there,  _ thank you. _ And you know you’ll always have a hut ready for you at the Tribe too.” 

“So your family likes me, huh?” he teased. 

“Are you kidding? They adore you.” Katara giggled. “Sokka would jump in excitement if you were to be a regular visitor.”

He raised a brow. “Who says I won’t? After all of this is over… I might.” Realizing he had no clue when his search would be successfully completed, Zuko let out a frustrated sigh. “But who knows when that’ll be, right?”

“Soon, Zuko. Soon enough, you’ll see.” Squeezing his forearm a bit, she twitched her lips into a reassuring smile. “We’ll make your father talk, I promise.”

_ It’s not just my father, _ Zuko wanted to say.  _ My family is a mess, it’s shattered, and I don’t seem to be very useful in putting the pieces back together.  _ But he stayed silent. There was no point in dwelling for the past when he could try and build a new future. Still, the weight of the unsaid felt heavy on his shoulders. 

A timid knock in the door saved him from having to come up with something else to say. Zuko exchanged a look with Katara and finally tilted his head in a nod. 

“Come in!” Katara exclaimed. 

Uton made its way through the door, stopping at the threshold. “My Lord, Master Katara… I just wanted to say I’ve prepared a small breakfast. You can join me if you’d like.” 

“Thank you, Uton,” Zuko replied. “That’s very nice of you, we’ll be at the kitchen in a moment.”

“Yes, thank you,” Katara added.

Closing the door behind him, Uton left them alone once again. 

“I’m just realizing,” she mumbled, turning red. “I’m over here like a mess and I casually exclaimed to Uton to just come in.” 

Zuko chuckled, thinking about how nothing about the situation was less than bizarre. “Don’t worry about it, I’m not that nicely put together either.”

She elbowed him on the ribs, laughing. “Come on,  _ my Lord,  _ or you’ll be late for breakfast.”

He raised a brow, playfully. “Alright, alright  _ Master Katara _ . There’s no need to reprimand me.” 

Katara rolled her eyes, standing up. “We’ll see about that, dork.”

  
  


Breakfast with Uton carried on without any complications. The old man had prepared the table with fruit, scones, and tea. He seemed delighted to have the two of them there. 

Although Zuko has to make a constant effort not to zone out, consumed by his worries. Katara would sometimes give him a little kick under the table, making sure to bring him back to reality. He had no clue what he would do without her - probably sit in a darkened room and get lost within his mind? - so every last bit of affection from here flooded his heart with warmth. 

When Uton asked them what they were planning on doing next, Katara didn’t hesitate. She instantly told him their plan to return to the Fire Nation, without even the slightest hint of doubt noticeable on her face. It made him proud. No one could’ve been a better partner than her for his quest. They balanced and understood each other in a way that Zuko believed to be particularly unique. And he planned on treasuring that bond for the rest of his life. 

Uton seemed displeased with not being able to be of more use for their search, but still glad to have helped in every way he could. He wished them good luck on their journey back to Caldera and made them promise they would write to him in case there was ever anything they needed. The two travelers reassured him they would make sure to do just that. 

Finally, the time to leave came around. After packing up everything inside the balloon, goodbyes were said. Once they were out of the house, Zuko took a good look at the girl who had never left his side in months. 

“Ready to go back?” It wasn’t much of a question but more of an acknowledgment. A way of telling her he wouldn’t want to go home without her, as strange as it could seem to have those emotions. 

Katara smiled, stepping into the balloon. “More than ready, let’s go.” 

With a bright sun watching over their journey, the two of them embraced their return to the Fire Nation. 

* * *

Nightfall brought a coolness to the heights after being under the sunshine all day long. The bright blue sky had transformed into an ocean of darkness. Shimmering stars illuminated the horizon alongside the much-needed moonlight. There was only silence, timidly accompanied by a soft breeze. 

Zuko sat still, going through the last bit of work he had brought with him. He was determined to power through the rest of the journey. It wasn’t long before landing, as he could already distinguish the skyline of the Fire Nation Capital in the distance. Letting out a sigh, he shifted his sight from the documents to the girl sleeping against his arm. It was the tenderest of views. Katara had fallen asleep over him about two hours before, after helping him sort out a few taxes and resolve what to respond to a couple of pending letters. She was initially resting her head against the wooden wall, but sooner than later she had ended up sleeping on top of his shoulder. 

Now, her whole torso was leaned against Zuko, making it more difficult for him to move around and switch documents without risking waking her up. Not that he minded, though. He loved having her that close. 

Dropping a hefty script on the floor, he noticed a shift in the weight placed on his shoulder. 

Katara opened her eyes, looking a little confused. “Did I fall asleep?” 

“Um, what does it look like?” he teased. 

Her cheeks turned a tad red. “Looks like I fell asleep over you,  _ again. _ I’m sorry. _ ”  _ Still, she hadn’t moved at all. 

Zuko chuckled. “Sorry? Katara, you really think I mind?” 

“You don’t?” she asked, raising a brow. 

“Not in the slightest, especially after all the help you gave me with my work,” he replied, keeping his head tilted to be able to look at her. “The Medical Center, International relationships,  _ and _ Fire Lord duties? You’re better than all my advisors combined.”

“Mmm,” she hummed. “I better be.”

“Trust me, you are.”

Out of a sudden, Katara straightened up. “Now that you mention it, you’ve just made me remember I must pay Rya a visit at the Healing Wing. I miss her, to be honest.”

“Why don’t you invite her to get some tea at the Palace?” Zuko suggested. “I could easily arrange it for the upcoming weekend.”

“You sure that’s alright? I don’t want to intrude.”

“Katara, I’ve told you,” he mouthed with a gentle smirk. “You’re always welcome there, please, make yourself at home. You’re the one helping me, it’s the least I can do.”

_ Home. _ Zuko felt surprised to have used that specific word. It wasn’t one that he felt particularly attached to - since he had been all over the world for years now. But talking to Katara, it had felt like the appropriate thing to say.  _ Home _ wasn’t a place, but more of an emotion. A word used to describe  _ something  _ that felt... right. And he felt that kind of warmth whenever she was near, so wanting her to feel the same way wasn’t a surprise at all. Perhaps, in an ideal future, they could make each other feel at home. 

“Thank you, Zuko. I’m serious, thank you so much.” Her eyes glistened with the moonlight, making the smile that spread across her face all that much brighter. “I’ll be sure to let her know of the plans then.”

“Good,” he said, closing his eyes for a moment. “We should be landing in a couple of minutes.”

“Already?” Katara chuckled. “Spirits, I should fall asleep over your shoulder more often.” 

Zuko smiled, opening his eyes to look at her. “Anytime.”

She turned bright red and momentarily looked at the floor before tugging the hem of his shirt. “Get up, I want to admire the view.”

“Alright, alright,” he complied. “Let’s take a look.”

Leaning his elbows against the railing, Zuko stared at the heart of his nation. Caldera City had a certain charm, he had to admit. But the mesmerizing thing about that moment wasn’t the stars, the moonlight, or the metropolis underneath them. No, what the Fire Lord cared about was  _ right _ next to him. Skimming her arm against him, and with her ocean eyes glowing with enthusiasm. Whenever she was close, the hush of his worries seemed to tone down. 

Facing his father wouldn’t be easy, but having Katara by his side had the power of making anything seem a little less impossible. She was like a light shining amidst the darkness of the night. And  _ that _ was enough to make Zuko smile. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, happy Saturday! How are you all doing? I've spent the entire week fighting to get extra writing time in between classes from my uni and the usual workload. Luckily, today I was able to write for a few hours straight. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Don't hesitate to tell me what you think of it. We're heading back to the Fire Nation and these two will have to figure out how to carry on next. And ~feelings~ will definitely make things a bit trickier ; )
> 
> Alright, that's all for now! Until the next update guys! <3


	26. Odd To Be Back

Returning to the Fire Nation had a somewhat strange feeling to it. Katara hadn’t anticipated bidding farewell to Caldera City as unexpectedly as she had, already several weeks ago. Yet she was now back, in what barely felt like the blink of an eye, but everything seemed utterly different. A lot had changed while they were all away; feelings, situations, and hopes for the future. This time around, it was only Zuko and her, coming back after traveling to the Western Earth Kingdom to find Ursa. But they had returned empty-handed and with even more questions left to be answered. 

The previous night Katara had gone straight to bed, glad to be back in her usual room at the Royal Palace. Given how late it was, Uncle Iroh was already asleep when they had arrived. But the morning brought a new beginning with it, turning breakfast into the perfect time to put Iroh up to date regarding the newest developments in their search. 

Zuko had done most of the talking, amidst sipping on his tea and allowing for her to contribute to the explanation. Katara had preferred to let him speak, to give him space to tell the start of the truth about his mother. Every single detail that had been passed onto them by Uton had been repeated to Iroh, with the addition of Zuko’s personal appreciations and concerns. By the end, the old man was left looking a little more than confused, and a strain of concern was detectable in his eyes. 

When Iroh finally spoke, he did it with a firm yet preoccupied tone. “May I ask if you had anything in mind regarding what to do next?”

The question seemed to shock Zuko a little bit, as Katara was able to notice by the way he looked into her eyes once he heard his Uncle’s words. “Uncle, we need to know where Mother’s hometown is. I think it’s very clear what our next move should be.”

The affirmation made Katara flinch. She knew what Zuko was talking about, it had been the cause of his despair ever since they had found out the partial truth about Ursa’s journey. Still, she didn’t like it. She could never be on board with something that made Zuko so miserable. But what other choice did they have? 

Iroh raised a brow. “Then tell me. Because you know, Nephew, you know I cannot provide you with that information, I’m just as much in the dark as you are.”

“I’ll have to talk to my father,” Zuko mouthed, letting out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t care what it takes, I’ll get him to tell me where she could be.” 

“And are you certain you talking directly to Ozai would be the best approach?” 

Zuko shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong, the last thing I want to do is talk to that bitter excuse of a man. But it seems like I have to if I want to see Mother again.” His voice had started to tremble.

In a split second, Katara felt the need to throw her arms around him. It simply wasn’t fair. After all the progress and the good Zuko had managed to make, he was once again stuck with talking to the person that had turned his life into a nightmare for years. He deserved much better. He deserved all the love in the world. 

The sound of her name brought her back to earth. “What about you, Katara, what do you think of this plan?” Iroh’s gentle eyes were looking straight at hers. 

“I wish there could be another way,” she replied, putting down her teacup. “But If Zuko tells Ozai what we know now, perhaps he’ll feel more obligated to confess.” 

“Mmm,” Iroh hummed. “Though You must admit he won’t be particularly delighted to hear the mother of his children was involved in the anti-war movement.”

“For Agni’s sake, his disgraceful son _ended_ the war!” Zuko exclaimed, anger detectable through his voice. “What else does he want? What else could he possibly expect from the woman he banished in the first place?”

A moment of silence found its way to the table. Katara felt puzzled, hating the way the situation made her powerless. Zuko was right, Ozai didn’t seem to have a heart - or a functional one when it came to emotions - yet Uncle Iroh also had a point. Providing the former ruler with information that would only make him even more bitter wouldn’t help with their efforts in trying to make him talk. 

“Unless,” Iroh broke the quietness, speaking in the gentlest tone possible. “You don’t mention anything about the anti-war movement to him.”

“What?” Zuko’s voice was filled with doubt. 

Katara made a comprehensive frown. “Iroh’s right, Zuko!” she interrupted. “You say we would need to tell him a little of what we know, and I agree. But we could just tell him about Gaipan, and that she went back to her hometown. He doesn’t need to know anything else.”

“Listen to her, Nephew,” Iroh agreed. “Even more, just by cornering him with our knowledge of where he banished your mother, that might do the trick.” 

“We can’t be sure, Uncle.” Zuko sounded defeated. “If you two say so, then we’ll do it your way first, but if I don’t get him to talk I’ll tell him everything, anything.”

The tone of his voice was enough to make Katata flinch. “Zuko,” she pleaded, trying to get him to look into her eyes. “We’ll get the information, I promise you. We just have to be smart about how to approach this situation.”

Zuko’s eyes met hers, and his gaze softened. “Alright, t I won’t say a word about the anti-war movement.”

“Well, then it’s settled.” Iroh raised a brow, apparently studying the two young travelers. “Still, Zuko, I advise you not to visit your father at least until tomorrow. You’ve just returned from weeks of traveling, looking exhausted, and there’s a ton of papers your advisors would kill to get your feedback on. Take today to clear your thoughts.” 

“Sure, sure,” the Fire Lord grunted. “Talking about my advisors, I should probably go ahead and meet Atkin now, if you don’t mind.” 

Katara exchanged a look with Iroh. She couldn’t be the only one to notice how Zuko had barely eaten anything. It was unusual for him not to have a proper breakfast. Perhaps the prospect of facing his father had taken a bigger toll on him that he was willing to admit. Though no one could blame him for it. 

Seeing the way Iroh nodded at her, she proceeded to speak. “Go, Zuko, don’t worry about it. I’ll keep your Uncle company until he finishes his tea.” The soft smile that accompanied her words was only a foreshadowing of what she would eventually add. “We’ll talk later, right?” 

Zuko’s expression softened the minute he heard her question. “Yes, Katara, of course,” he said, with the slightest of smiles peaking through his lips. “And don’t forget, make yourself at _home.”_

His choice of words managed to throw her in a loop. It moved her to realize that despite being as preoccupied as ever, Zuko still took the time to make her feel cared for. If only she could come clean about those pressing emotions…

“Go, go,” Iroh’s voice broke the silence. “Just be careful not to overwhelm yourself a little too much.” 

Standing up, Zuko waved at them. “ _Fine_ , I’ll behave, don’t worry. I’ll see you two later.” With those final words, he was quickly out of the room. 

For a moment, the sound of teacups and silverware moving around was all Katara heard. Iroh sat in front of her, thoroughly sipping on the last of his tea. Though the silence didn’t last long, and the old man quickly lifted his sight to look at her. 

“He’s got to be careful about this,” he said, making a frown. “Or else he’ll find himself feeling even worse and with no more information to work with.” 

Katara put down the apple she was munching on. “I mean, I would most certainly be just as nervous as he is, but you’re right, we need to keep an eye on him.” 

“I wish we would let me talk to Ozai first,” Iroh sighed. “Yet we all know there’s no use in even trying that.” 

“You don’t think he’ll listen to you?” 

“Why would he? Ozai threw me in a prison cell the minute he had the chance.” He shook his head in denial. “There’s no way anything I could say will move him even in the slightest sense. Zuko, on the other hand, might be able to get on his nerves.”

“But it’s not fair, this is getting the best of him.” Katara’s voice came out like a plea, accompanying her deepest worries. “Iroh, when he found out he would have to face his father again… It was the most desperate I’ve seen him in months.”

Iroh’s expression turned into one of utter despair. “My dear, of course, it’s not fair, most things in life aren’t. I wish to spare Zuko of any suffering just as bad you seem to do, yet we cannot stop him from doing this. It’s his choice.”

Staying silent, Katara took a sip of her tea, staring at the wooden table as if it could grant her a better solution. The last few days had been particularly jarring for her. It all felt like an intricate mixture of anger and excitement, sorrow and endearment, frustration, and tenderness. She was grateful for every extra second she had to spend with Zuko, yet the cause of that given time was heart-rending. Perhaps one day she could have all that time without sadness in the midst of it.

“And how are you, Katara?” The question brought her back to the present. “I’m forever grateful to you for staying next to Zuko during this whole ordeal.”

“I’m alright, I guess.” She lifted her sight to be able to look at Iroh. “And, please, don’t thank me. It’s the least I can do for him.” 

He smiled in return. “Are you finding it strange to be back at the Fire Nation so soon?”

“No, not really,” she admitted. “When I left this place, I wasn’t even aware that we wouldn’t all return straight away from Ba Sing Se. Naive, I know, but I had gotten used to my routine around here.”

“It’s not naive at all, young lady,” Iroh stated. “I’m glad you find yourself feeling comfortable at the Fire Nation, and I can tell my nephew shares the sentiment. You’re good to him, Katara, the least _we_ can do for _you_ is make sure you feel welcomed here.”

Red threatened to creep over her cheeks. Was she being too transparent about her feelings for Zuko? Because she knew all the sorts of complicated implications those emotions carried the potential to have. Still, the heart doesn’t stop to think too much about that. She felt what she felt, and if secrecy was the optimal way around it for the moment, so be it. But she couldn’t allow herself to get too deviated from reality. 

“Thank you, Iroh,” she finally said. “I just wish the circumstances of my return could be much more different, it would be easier for all of us.”

“You know, when Zuko first told me about his plans, I thought him crazy for not sharing them with you and the rest of your friends. I’m glad he caved in and accepted some help.”

“Well…” Katara hesitated. “He didn’t particularly cave in, I found out on my own when he was visiting at the Southern Water Tribe. Still, I’m thankful he let me come with him.” 

“You have to understand he’s used to doing everything by himself, even when he had someone there to help him.” Iroh’s voice showed a strain of regret. “But he trusts you, that I’m certain of. Though it still amazes me how he was able to keep to himself about Ursa for so long.”

“It’s a shame he didn’t share the information with the rest of the group,” Katara admitted. “I know it’s a sensitive and very personal matter, but I’m sure they would’ve been more than willing to help in any way.”

“That’s very nice of you to say. It certainly wouldn’t hurt Zuko to have his friends near.” Iroh made a brief pause before raising a brow. “Well, aren’t we a pair of schemers? We just have to make sure he’s alright.

She let out a defeated sigh. “I’m glad you’re here, Iroh. Zuko really values your presence.” 

“Same goes for you,” The old man said with a reassuring smile. 

“Thanks.” Katara twitched her lips into a soft smile. She had to remain centered in order to help Zuko.

“How is your family doing?” Iroh asked, clearly eager to shed some light into the conversation. “I hope Zuko was a proper guest down there at the South Pole.”

Her eyes lit up the second she heard of the blissful days they had spent back at her homeland. “More than a proper guest, if you let me say so. He secured the International Collaboration that’ll aid the tribe with the Southern Reconstruction Project, though I’m sure you’re aware of that already.”

“Yes, I am. I was happy to hear about it,” he replied. “I believe that Collaboration is one of the best plans we’ve got going on at the moment. I’m glad you two are involved in it.”

“Oh, and my family is doing very well,” Katara continued. “They’re all in for the project, Sokka stayed there to help with the planning. Although I wouldn’t be surprised to hear he’s already at Kyoshi Island visiting Suki, he must miss her quite a lot.”

“Well, I’m glad they’re alright,” Iroh said with a smile. “You must write to them and let them know you arrived here safely.”

“I was planning on doing so right after breakfast,” she convened. “Later I’ll probably swing by the Medical Center and invite Rya for tea this Saturday, Zuko said it was okay.”

“And it’s more than okay,” he grinned. “Well, thank you for keeping me company for this little while.”

Katara smiled, thankful to have him with them. “Nonsense, it was a pleasure.”

  
  


Just as she had told Iroh, Katara rushed to write to her family right after breakfast. It would probably come up as a surprise to them that she was back at the Fire Nation. Spirits, it was still a surprise to her. Everything seemed strange, everything had a memory attached to it. Somehow, it felt like those days were a lifetime ago, alongside the days before the war ended. She felt as if she was constantly adapting to new situations, different environments, and fresh emotions. 

Even sprinting by the turtleduck pond had a surreal touch to it. That same pond where Zuko had stayed awake all night with her, after the tragedy at the Healing Wing, weeks ago. Such bittersweet memories intoxicated the air that surrounded the Royal Gardens as she walked through them and to her room. 

Yet Katara had new memories now, forged amidst her travels to Ba Sing Se, the South Pole, and Gaipan. Needless to say, her fondest one had a certain firebender as a protagonist. Her feelings for him had evolved in such a graceful manner that she could barely believe it, nor contain her excitement for them. After weeks of fooling herself - and everyone else for that matter - she had managed to make amends with her heart, on that mesmerizing sunset viewing next to Zuko. Though her feelings for him hadn’t stopped there, all the contrary, they had only grown deeper and deeper. 

The last few days had been especially meaningful on that subject, with a couple of interactions that had taken her breath away like never before. Even more, those little things had made her consider the possibility of Zuko feeling something else for her as well. But that was just unnecessary wishful thinking, right? She couldn’t do anything about it at the moment, not when he was constantly on the edge and they had an important task ahead. The right time would eventually swing by, or at least that’s what Katara quietly hoped for. 

Once the letters were written and dropped at the post office, one for her father and another one for Sokka, she headed toward the Medical Center. It was still early, but there was a good chance of Rya being at work. She wouldn’t want to be an annoyance in the middle of the workday, but a brief moment to greet some of her old coworkers and invite her friend for tea wouldn’t hurt anyone. 

When Katara arrived at the Healing Wing, she was welcomed back by a few of her fellow healers. Though none of them dared to ask many questions, as far as they knew she had been traveling next to the Fire Lord, due to political matters. That was a more than honorable enough reason to be suddenly absent for weeks, especially considering her work there was as a volunteer and not as a paid employee. 

Still, she felt their warm and quiet approval as she caught up on all the latest details regarding the facilities and its patients. The Medical Center would always keep an esteemed place on her heart, despite whatever the future might hold for her. For the moment, she preferred not to worry more than necessary about it. 

In the midst of all the greetings, a loud cheer made its way to the young waterbender. 

“Katara, is that you? Oh, Agni, how _dare you_ not to announce in advance your return?” Rya stormed into the hall and almost suffocated her with a tender embrace. “I’ve missed you! But I thought you weren’t sure when you would be back from the Earth Kingdom…”

“Missed you too, Ry,” Katara grinned. “And my return is as much of a surprise for me as it is for you, trust me. It was only decided two days ago.”

“Wait, you’re kidding, right?” Rya exclaimed as she grabbed her by the wrist and sat both of them down by the nearest bench. “I have to perform a dental surgery in five minutes or so but do tell.” 

“I’m not kidding at all, we just had to head back here to, um, sort some things out,” she mumbled, trying to explain in the best way possible. “Though if everything goes well, we might leave before the next weekend is over.”

“Girl, you’re leaving _again?_ ” The young doctor threw her hands up in the air. “Your life is insane.”

“If you say so…” Katara chuckled. “How is Merin, Ry? And what about your mother, any less insistent?”

“My mother, being more relaxed? Huh, now that’s funny.” She rolled up her eyes. “Merin is still at the top of his class, he’s quite the marvel of the family now. Still, he won’t give up his quality time with the big sister.”

“And you should be thankful for that, I find it adorable.” The statement was accompanied by a smile. “Hold up, do you actually have surgery right about now?”

Rya shrugged, letting out a soft laugh. “Oh, you thought I was being sarcastic? No, I do have one. But, hush, hush, tell me everything that did not make it to the letters.”

“I have a better idea,” Katara mouthed, raising a brow. “Why don’t you come to the Palace this Saturday afternoon to get some tea? We can chat much more relaxed there, and Fire Lord Zuko himself suggested the plan.”

“Fire Lord Zuko?” Rya’s eyes were as widened as humanly possible. “So you mean I’m invited to the Royal Palace the day after tomorrow?”

“Yes, you are, my friend.”

“I never thought I could be anywhere near as fancy as the rest of your friend, Kat, I’m touched.” Her voice showed she meant those words. “Thank you, of course, I’ll be there.” 

“Great, then I should let you do your work now,” Katara stated, slowly standing up. “I’ll see you on Saturday?” 

“You bet you are,” Rya replied, a bright grin spread across her face. “Bye Kat!”

“Goodbye Ry, good luck with that dental affair.” The waterbender observed as her friend walked through the doors of one of the surgery rooms. 

Well, her visit to the Healing Wing had been short and sweet, but still more than nice. The least she could do was making the most out of her unexpected return to the Fire Nation, and spending time with her friend seemed like the perfect plan. Not to mention it also helped a great deal in taking her mind out of the setback she and Zuko had just endured regarding their search. Taking things as easy as possible wasn’t really her strong suit, but she was marking an effort. 

  
  


The time before dinner found Katara impatiently wandering the halls of the Royal Palace. She wasn’t sure how she was supposed to act now that it was only her around there, especially with Zuko being cornered by his advisors for most of the day. A need to be as useful as possible had taken over her the minute she had run out of things to do. Though she knew rushing into talking to Ozai was not the best move, she couldn’t help but feel a little restless. 

_I might as well see if there’s anything I can find of use here,_ Katara thought, walking into the small family library. _At the very least I could find a good story to dive into._

So that was exactly what she was trying to do when she heard the sound of steps approaching the room. And she wasn’t particularly looking her best, sitting on the floor amidst a gigantic stack of papers, scripts, and books. For a moment she contemplated standing up, only to consider that perhaps she wouldn’t even be seen by whoever might walk through the doors. Quietly, she kept reading. 

“Katara? Lucky of me to find you here.” Zuko’s voice echoed across the multiple bookshelves. 

“Zuko?” She turned around, marveled to see him standing right behind her. “What are you doing? I mean, I thought you were in a meeting.”

“I managed to escape for a little bit,” he replied, plummeting to the floor next to her. “You mind if I stay here while you read? I’ll keep silent, I promise.”

“How could I mind?” Katar asked, putting down the book she was previously flipping through. “Now, Zuko, and I’m serious. Are you sure you’re alright?”

He made a slight frown, seeming surprised by her question. “I’m just fine, why do you ask?” 

She felt tempted to elbow him on the ribs but decided to leave that for a more lighthearted conversation. “I’ve seen you barely eat today, you seemed zoned out during lunch, and I know how much you dread the talk with your father. You know you don’t have to do everything on your own, right?”

“I know, it’s just that it’s my responsibility to salvage what’s left of my family,” Zuko mouthed, a defeated expression taking over his face. “I can’t avoid worrying about it.”

“Then worry with me, please,” Katara pleaded. “Worry with me, with your Uncle, with the rest of our friends… We all care for you.”

“Katara, listen,” he said, reaching for her hand. “I’m sorry if I’ve been gloomier these past two days, but I promise you I’m handling this the best I can. And a lot of that it’s thanks to you, because of you being here for me. Now let me take care of this, alright?”

She felt frozen, her fingers rapidly interlaced with his, his eyes looking right through her. Her heart started pounding with fury in her chest, giving away just how much of an effect Zuko had on her. A part of her died to speak out, to mention her feelings for him, to be bluntly honest, but that couldn’t be. She had to make sure he was going to be okay first. 

“Promise me you won’t go alone, Zuko.” Her words broke the momentary silence that had made its way to them. “Promise you’ll let me go with you when you visit your father in prison, _please.”_

Zuko blinked at her question, nervously batting his eyelashes. “Alright, we’ll see how we manage that,” he complied as he stroked her hand with his fingertips.

Katara lowered down her sight and got lost at the view of their hands intertwined. Those little moments of intimacy between didn’t seem to relent. Ever since Katara had accepted she had feelings for him, she longed for those blissful instants, worried one day they might suddenly stop. But they never did. In fact, it seemed to be only more of them as time passed. Truth be told, she never wanted them to stop. She never wanted to lose what she had found in him. 

_Say something. Perhaps..._

“Zuko, I…” 

But her words had been barely a whisper, one rapidly shushed by a question. 

“You know what I was thinking?” Zuko asked, still holding her hand. “How about you meet up with Atkin, perhaps some other of my advisors, to talk in-depth about the Southern Reconstruction Project?”

“What?” Right, the real world and real responsibilities didn’t stop to appreciate the tricks of the human heart. 

“You could make sure the International Collaboration goes on to a smooth start,” he reassured, accompanying his words with a soft smile. “Come on, I know you’ve got a good touch for politics, you’ll be great.”

Then, Katara realized what a great opportunity that could be. “Of course, of course, I’ll do it.” She nodded in approval. “Thank you for offering it, I was already looking for something else to do around here.”

“Well, luckily for you I know you pretty well if you let me say so myself.” He made a charming smirk. “I told you, you are better than all my advisors combined.”

“Lucky me,” she repeated, and she couldn’t help but make a silly, hopeful smile. He really did have a certain effect on her. “Guess we’ll be alright then. As long as you don’t shut me out.”

“Katara, I won’t. I’m trying my best, okay?”

“Zuko, I know that.” She squeezed his hand. “Just remember I’m here for you,  _ with you _ .” 

“I think I’ll always remember that,” he said before grabbing her other hand and gently tugging her upwards. “Want to help me round up the last couple of things before dinner? We can check when Atkin is available as well.”

She dragged herself to her feet, still holding onto him. “Of course, let’s go.” 

Despite the complicated nature of their presence there, Katara was starting to enjoy her little time back at the Fire Nation. It was more than justified, too, since it would hopefully provide them with the information they needed to find Ursa. Just a bit longer, and they could resume their search. 

Now, what was really starting to get on her nerves was her very sad attempt at mentioning the slightest thing about her feelings to Zuko. As the two of them walked out of the library, Katara began replaying that instant on her mind. It had been a strange impulse, one that could have jeopardized all her efforts to make things easier for both of them. Hesitation had never been her emotion of choice, but there was no other way around it. At least not a less nerve-racking one. Regardless, the right moment couldn’t be so far away, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Can't believe we are already back at the Fire Nation, let's see how these two manage to get around...  
> Thank you so much for reading! As ever, feedback is also really appreciated <3  
> Until the next update guys!


	27. Sacred Image Of Lies

The light sound of the breeze echoed across the Royal Gardens. Clouds moved in the morning sky and were turned into brilliant white by a timid sun, leaving transitory patches of blue. There wasn’t a considerable hint of grayness in the sky, though Zuko wouldn’t be surprised if it happened to rain. The weather matching his now ever-changing and conflictive mood wouldn’t be the strangest thing he had witnessed. 

Hurrying up the pace, the Fire Lord sprinted to his office. He was eager to leave the meeting he’d just had behind, it wasn’t that it had gone wrong or anything but his mind was all over the place. Managing ancient traditions with the Council of Elders required him to be grounded and attentive, two things Zuko wasn’t feeling like at the moment. The urging task of facing his father prevented him from performing his political duties properly. He hadn’t even spent forty-eight hours on his homeland, yet what he needed to do didn’t feel like it could be delayed any longer. 

When he sat down at his desk, still trying to look through some tax papers and make himself useful, his eyes lingered on the subtle light coming through the window. It was clearly mid-morning. Letting out a sigh, he surrendered to the fact that he would not get to talk to Katara until lunchtime, at the earliest. She had probably just started her meeting with Atkin and a couple of other advisors, to sort out the start of the International Collaboration. Certainly, that would keep her busy for a considerable amount of time.

They had arranged the time of the meeting the previous night, right before dinner. Though Zuko was aware that we most likely wouldn’t be able to get there on time, a part of him knew his presence wasn’t even needed. That assembly was for Katara to get the Collaboration on track, it was about her and the needs of her people. If he wanted his advisors to listen to her because of who  _ she _ was and what  _ she _ knew, then removing himself from the equation altogether didn’t seem like a bad choice. He trusted both her judgment and the goodwill of his advisors. Katara was more than capable of standing up for her tribe’s needs while he dealt with the Council of Elders. At least in that end, Zuko felt confident he had done the right thing. 

What the Fire Lord felt more doubtful about was the annoying detail of how badly he wished to just get it over with; just talk to his father right there and then, no distractions or preambles. Despite his attempt to promise Katara of not doing it without her, an impulse to do exactly the opposite had taken over him. Perhaps facing his father on his own would be the best for everyone. Was there really a need to get Katara any more tangled into his mess? Ozai would only have horrible things to say, and probably a million ways to get the best of him. Did he actually want Katara to witness all that? To suffer the way he was suffering right now? No, that was the last thing Zuko wanted for her. 

Then, for all he knew… The right move would be to face Ozai alone. A sting of guilt threatened to catch him, though he rapidly brushed it off. Katara didn’t deserve to be mistreated by his bitter excuse of a father, and he hated the possibility of her seeing him any more worn out. Yes, he would do it on his own. If everything went right and he managed to get the information, then nobody would complain. And if things didn’t work out properly… then he would try again. Again, again, and again. He  _ had _ to.

It was decided. Promises aside, it was his burden to carry. Katara had done more than enough. This ordeal was one he would have to face on his own.

Blinking at the sunlight, Zuko realized it was now or never. He dropped the tax papers, straightened up on his seat, and resolved to just go for it. Nothing good would come from delaying the inevitable. With Katara busy at the meeting and Uncle in town until lunchtime, he had enough time to sneak out of the Palace and into the Capital City Prison. 

Stepping out of his office, Zuko brushed away any remaining doubts. He was going to do whatever it might take to find his mother. 

  
  


A few more steps and the Fire Lord would find himself face to face with the person who held his future in their hands. There was a certain irony at that moment, considering how terrified he had felt upon realizing his father was his only hope, though a rush of adrenaline and determination had taken over him. He took a deep breath; there was no room for hesitation, one slip up and his vulnerability would betray him. Feeling the air in and out of his lungs, he rounded up the necessary courage. 

Instructing the guards to step away and leave them alone, Zuko stood on the outside of Ozai’s prison cell. Inside was the man supposed to be his father but who hadn’t felt like one in a long, long time. Everything about him seemed embittered and resentful.

Before he got the chance to say anything, the man shot a deadly glance at him. 

“I was wondering when you would pay me another visit,” Ozai said, his voice sharp as a knife. “What does the mighty Fire Lord want from me now?”

Zuko couldn’t help but clench his teeth at the impertinent remark. “You know exactly what I want from you. You’re going to tell me where my mother is,  _ now.” _

“Zuko, didn’t I make myself clear the last time you asked me that?” His words sounded as if they had been spoken by a snake, with a dissing connotation. “I expected you to at least be able to understand the meaning of the word ‘no’.”

“Look, I’m really not in the mood for your little games,” the Fire Lord said, trying to conceal his crippling rage. “And this time I’m not as clueless as before, so I’d suggest you save time for us both and just be honest.” 

His father raised a brow. “You, not clueless? Well, well, well, then I guess you don’t need me after all.”

“You’re right,  _ I don’t. _ ” The words stumbled on his throat. “I just need some information you own.”

A moment of silence made its way to the prison cell. Zuko stood still, thanking himself for not bringing Katara to witness such a loathsome interaction. 

“I’m not going to tell you anything,” Ozai broke the silence, looking at him in the eye for the first time. “So you might as well give up now.” After saying this, he turned away to face the wall. 

“I know you banished her to Gaipan.”

His words must’ve had some effect on his father, as the man seemed to flinch at them. It almost felt like a victory, as small as it could be, have outsmarted him regarding his mother’s whereabouts. If only everything could be like that. 

“Nothing to say, huh?” Zuko continued. “Well, too bad, because I know you sent Mother to one of your great military outposts. Seems like you thought you would’ve been able to control her if she was on Fire Nation territory.”

An abrupt clapping sound cut through the air like a blade. “Congratulations, Zuko,” Ozai grunted. “You were able to put two and two together, truly impressive.”

Zuko tried his best not to allow his words to take a toll on him. He took a deep breath and let his heart-rate stabilize. Though on the inside, his blood was on the verge of boiling. Every fiber of his being despised the man laying on the cell in front of him. 

“But you couldn’t keep her in one place, couldn’t you?” He took a step closer to the metal bars. “Because she’s definitely not in Gaipan anymore.”

“Do you actually think I care nearly as half as you about where your beloved mother is?” His father laughed, tilting his head around. “She had to leave, Zuko, deal with it.”

_ Honestly, screw you. Screw you and your lies, you are going to listen to me right now. _

“You  _ forced her _ to leave. Though she escaped your control, didn’t she?” 

His father frowned. “Again, once she was out of here, I stopped caring.” 

“You know, I don’t believe that for one second.” He contained the urge to scream. “We both know damn well that you sent her to Gaipan so you could at least keep tabs on her for some time. See? You can’t even look me in the eye!”

“But that time was over soon, Zuko!” Ozai exclaimed, fully turning around. When their eyes met, it was as if a storm had suddenly broken out. “Your mother knew what the price of saving your precious little existence was, so she paid it. You can wallow about it all you want, but don’t expect me to have the same pathetic attitude.”

Each one of those words was like a dagger sinking on Zuko’s chest. Though he couldn’t allow them to destroy him. Not before getting what he needed. 

“You call  _ me _ pathetic? You’re the one locked up on a stupid cell!” His voice was getting louder by the minute. 

Another beat of quietness. The tension on the ambiance was noticeable. 

“I’m not the one begging.” The man replied, making a vicious smirk. “I’m not the one who needs help.”

“I haven’t even told you what it is that I need,” Zuko whispered, lowering down his voice. 

“Oh, really?” Ozai seemed amused by his turmoil. “ _ Please, _ do tell.”

Ignoring the sarcastic expression on his father’s face, Zuko decided to just spit out the truth. “I need to know where Mother’s hometown is.”

Nothing. Just silence in response. The young Fire Lord was starting to get unbearably impatient. Walking from side to side of the room, he reminded himself not to give up. 

“It's a simple request,” he persisted. “Just tell me where it is.”

“I’m guessing this information would help you find her...?” Ozai finally mouthed. 

“I thought you didn’t care about that.” His words were tainted with bitterness and sarcasm. 

Ozai closed his eyes, resting his head against the wall. “Suit yourself.” 

Zuko stopped walking, freezing on the spot to look at his father. What would it take to make him talk? 

“Tell me where it is.” There was a certain harshness to his voice, a tone that gave away just how empty he felt at the moment. “Spirits, just do it.” 

His father chuckled, looking utterly carefree as he moved his feet from one side to another. 

“For Agni’s sake, we both know I need to know that in order to find her!” Zuko burst out, his eyes shimmering with frustration. “Where’s her hometown?  _ Now.” _

“Ha! I knew it!” In a split second, Ozai opened his eyes. His eyebrows were raised, eyes wide open, lips twitched into a sinister smirk; everything about his expression was unsettling. “You’re nothing but a fool, thinking you can trick me into helping you find your sweet, sweet mother. What a disgrace.” 

He felt lost for words, speechless as he cursed himself for falling right into his father’s clutches. 

“So what if she left Gaipan? I was more than certain she wouldn’t have dared to come back here, not without risking your insignificant little life in the process.” Ozai continued, with a deadly look in his eyes. “Wherever she might be right now, you won’t get to her, not as far as I’m concerned.”

Zuko couldn’t help but look away. An overwhelming need to break down into a million pieces took over him. He refused to believe he had failed once again. That was the one mistake he couldn’t afford to make. 

His father didn’t relent. “In other words,  _ no. _ I won’t tell you where your mother’s hometown is located.”

That was enough to snap him out of his trance. Nothing useful would come out of staying in there any longer. He  _ had _ to leave, otherwise, the situation would end up driving him insane. 

“I’m sick of you,” Zuko spat out, turning around. “Don’t you worry, though, I’ll come back to make sure you’ll talk. Because you are going to, I promise.”

Just as he was about to leave the room, an intoxicating laugh caught him off guard. 

“How’s the government going, dear child? I hope you don’t find yourself dealing with any kind of obnoxious opposition in the future.” 

He flinched at those words but refused to let his father see how worried he felt out of a sudden. “Enjoy your prison cell, father. Be careful not to root in here.”

And with that statement, Zuko sprinted out of the room, without looking back. 

Though as soon as he found himself alone, wandering the path back to the Palace, the young Fire Lord started to crumble apart. Every step he took was filled with rage, exhaustion, and frustration. Securing the hood over his head - the one from the robe he had carefully chosen not to be recognized so easily - he stopped. Right in the middle of the way. He didn’t feel ready to return yet, not like that. Not with so much hatred still circling his head and the prospect of not being able to find his mother haunting every nerve of his body. Hopelessness mixed with fury called for a little solitude. 

He turned on his heels, heading to the proximate shore by the side of the prison. His mind was in a spiral, pain, and anguish clouding his every thought. He couldn’t go back, in fact, he wasn’t even sure he wanted to, without sorting out his anger first. 

With treacherous tears threatening to stream across his cheeks, Zuko realized just how utterly miserable he was feeling. He rushed to the nearby rocks, trying his best to stay calm. His mother, missing; his father, cruel and imprisoned; his sister, contained yet slowly going insane. And the last of Ozai’s remarks had caused him to doubt everything he had spent months working on. Was the desolation ever to stop?

When he plummeted to the ground, the Fire Lord buried his face between his hands. It was destroying him not being able to break down what his father had created, not being able to end the turmoil he had first caused. A never-ending handful of disheartening consequences that still had to be dealt with even after the war was over. Such a sacred image of lies. 

  
  


Zuko had lost track of time. As he rushed through the halls of the Royal Palace, he noticed his absence had prolonged much more than initially expected. The sunlight had already dimmed, shedding into a cloudy afternoon. There was no way the luncheon hadn’t taken place yet, and that meant someone had probably realized he wasn’t anywhere to be found. So much for sneaking out.

Though as he made his way to his room, Zuko stumbled across the unexpected. Sitting by his doorstep, with her head resting against the wall, Katara seemed to be waiting for him. Arms crossed over her chest, legs stretched out before her, and a preoccupied frown taking over her face; she must have been there for a while. 

As soon as she noticed him there, the waterbender straightened up. For a moment it seemed as if she had something urgent to say, but her words turned into a sigh the second Zuko looked into her eyes. A beat of silence invaded the hallway. 

“I know what you’re going to say,” the Fire Lord finally said, his words stuck between a whisper and a plea. “So we might as well not have this conversation standing here.”

Katara simply nodded, dragging herself to her feet before following him inside his room. When he shut the door behind him, a quick gesture was all it took. The two of them sat by the edge of his bed, silently acknowledging the increased levels of trust between them. 

In all honesty, Zuko felt surprised by her silence. From the moment he saw her standing at the entrance of his room, he was expecting an instantaneous reprimand. But that hadn’t been the case, even when it was clear she knew what he had done. They knew each other too well. Instead, she stayed quiet, thoroughly analyzing his every movement. 

“Look, I know I promised,” he began explaining himself. “But you were at the meeting and-“

“I just want to know why,” Katara quickly interrupted him. “Why, Zuko? Because yesterday you really did promise.”

Her blue eyes were glistening alongside the shadows of the room. The flickering light coming through the windows seemed to be just as volatile as his state of mind. He wasn’t quite sure of what to say. 

“Don’t you trust me?” she carried on, her voice starting to waver. “Because if that's the case you could’ve just told me. You could’ve been honest and say you didn’t want me there.” 

“ _ What?” _ Zuko burst out, astonished by her words. “Katara, how on earth could you think I don’t desperately, blindly, and fully trust you?” 

“You are the one who repeatedly keeps things from me.” 

“I’m sorry you feel that way,” he said, repressing the urge to tug her into his arms. “Though we both know I trust you with all I have. This was just something I had to do on my own.”

“I still don’t understand why,” Katara sighed. “Why you disappeared for hours, Zuko. Did you ever stop to think about how worried I could be?”

His heart skipped a beat. “Were you worried?”

Katara finally made a light smile. “That’s ought to be the dumbest thing you’ve ever asked me. I’m always worried about you.” A concerned frown returned to her face. “Now, care to explain yourself?”

And with that simple question, the weight of the world seemed to fall right back onto Zuko’s shoulders. Everything his father had said to him still lingered his mind, all those sharp and hateful words sinking like daggers into his chest. His only consolation was to have taken time to deal with the anger and frustration on his own before returning to the Palace. Who knew what a handful of nerves he could’ve turned into otherwise. 

“I’m sorry for doing it behind your back, but I’m glad you weren’t there to witness any of it,” Zuko stated. “My father was everything but nice, Katara. He made damn sure I knew how much he despises me and how little he cares about whatever I could ever want.”

“What happened?” Her eyes seemed to have filled with sadness. 

“I tried, I swear I tried.” Bitterness was unmistakable in his voice. “I did as you and Uncle said, I didn’t mention anything about Ba Sing Se or the anti-war movement, but I still failed. He practically swore not to ever tell me anything that might help me find her.”

“Oh, Zuko,” Katara whispered. “I’m sorry. This is exactly what I didn’t want to happen.”

“It was foolish of me to believe he would easily cave in when his only wish is to still have some control over my life.” His eyes threatened to turn misty. “He didn’t seem too surprised to hear Mother isn’t in Gaipan anymore, though he affirmed not to care. I’m just feeling so lost, so puzzled about how I could ever get to him.”

“You’re not any kind of fool,  _ he  _ is.” Katara had a fierce look in her eyes. “We’ll make him talk, I promise you. I’ll think about it day and night, I don’t care how long it takes.”

“I just don’t understand why I keep failing,” Zuko broke down, giving away how desperate he was. “No matter what I do… This is the one thing I don’t seem to be able to fix.”

“Zuko, look at me.” She placed her hand on top of his scarred cheek, softly caressing the burnt skin. When their eyes met, it felt like a breath of the purest of air. “You’re not failing, you’re just doing the best you can with an impossible situation. Ozai is the one who failed at being a decent father, ruler, and human. You’re nothing like him, you’re the bravest person I know. And I’m proud, you know? I’ll never stop being proud of you.”

A treacherous year slipped through the corner of his good eye. He wasn’t sure how he would've been doing without her. That sheer idea seemed unbearable. Katara had a way to make everything a little less hopeless. He needed her with every fiber of his being, and his thankfulness to her went beyond the indescribable. 

“Thank you, just…” Zuko placed his hand on top of hers, brushing his fingertips against her skin. “Thank you, Katara. I know I’ve said it over and over again, but it really is needed.” 

“Just stop disappearing on me, alright?” Her words brought light back into his heart. “We’ll figure this out together.” 

Zuko simply nodded, lost in awe of her calming presence. A million things circled through his mind, though he didn’t let them spoil that instant of peacefulness. A plan was still needed if they wanted to make his father talk, but he allowed that dreadful thought to just swing by and melt with the others. It wouldn’t be of much use to break into tears or burst in anger once again. Instead, he chose to ease into a second of tranquility. 

A loud knock on the door made them both flinch. Although the voice that quickly followed brought reassurance back into the ambiance. 

“Zuko, are you there?” Uncle Iroh exclaimed. “If Master Katara got up from your doorstep once and for all then it must mean you’ve come back!” 

He shot Katara a more than puzzled look. “How does he…?” 

“Zuko, we both know you pretty well,” she chuckled. “ _ And _ your uncle saw me waiting for you.”

Standing up, he threw his hands up in the air. Those two managed to shed some light on every situation. When he opened the door, he found his uncle staring at him with a preoccupied look in his eyes. 

“You went there alone, didn’t you?” he asked, stepping into the room. “I’m sorry nephew, but I believe that was a little rush- Oh, good afternoon, Katara.” 

The waterbender stood still next to the bed, and Zuko didn’t fail to notice the way her cheeks had flushed with a bit of a red hue. 

“Iroh, hi,” she exclaimed. “He’s all yours, I’ve already had a talk with him. Um, I think I’d better go change for dinner now.” 

Iroh raised a brow, though he stayed put. “Alright, If you are sure… I didn’t mean to interrupt.” 

“It’s fine, don’t worry,” Zuko said, wanting to talk things through with his uncle. “Katara, I’ll see you at dinner then?”

“You’ll see me at dinner for sure,” she replied with a tender smile. “Just remember what I told you, okay?”

He watched her approach the door. “Of course.” And with that said, he let her out of the room, his eyes lingering for an extra second as she made her way through the hallway. 

Iroh was already sitting on the solitary loveseat next to the bed. “Zuko, do you mind telling me what happened?” 

So he did. Zuko mentioned to him every detail of his conversation with his father, glad to be able to describe with precision everything he had told him. No gruesome commentary was left out, and he even mentioned the troubling words Ozai had spoken at the end. 

“Uncle, he seemed to be hinting that something bad would happen,” Zuko grunted. “Opposition is one thing… but what about something worse?”

“Nephew, you mustn’t let his words get to you in such a way,” Iroh reassured him. “We’ll stay alert, but Ozai most likely said that only to distract you from finding your mother.” 

“Are you sure?” he hesitated. “Because I don't even know what’s worse at this point. I blew my first chance at getting him to talk.” 

“I’m sure. And even though you definitely rushed into it, it’s not your fault that your father is so fixated in not cooperating with you.”

“What if I can never make him talk?” His voice started to tremble. “We need to think of something before I-“

Iroh interrupted him, lifting one hand in the air. “Zuko, when was the last time you had a proper meal?”

The Fire Lord grimaced, annoyed by the question. “Uncle, why is that important? I don’t know, yesterday’s dinner? We need to focus!”

“No, nephew, you need to take proper care of yourself!” Iroh pleaded. “You won’t be of any help in finding your mother if you can barely think straight. You’ve only been here for two days, and you’re already shutting down not only me but also Katara just to go ahead and let your father mistreat you.” 

“But there’s nothing else I can do!” His voice angrily trailed off. After taking a breath, Zuko continued. “I’m scared, Uncle, I’m terrified by the idea of not being able to find her.” 

“You’ll find her, I know you will.” The look on his uncle’s eyes was as tender as possible. “But you must be careful not to lose yourself in the process.” 

“It’s not as easy as it sounds, sadly.” 

“You don’t have to do it on your own,” Iroh remarked. “You know you have me, Katara, and the rest of your friends more than willing to help.”

“I am trying,” he persisted. “I've already told Katara and Sokka about it. That’s more than what we originally planned.” 

“Thanks, Spirits you did. There’s nothing wrong with letting others have your back.” 

“I know,” Zuko agreed. “I’ve already promised Katara I would stop disappearing. To be honest I was surprised she didn’t reprimand me today when I found her at my door.” 

“Mmm,” Iroh hummed. “That girl really is something, isn’t she? Coming all the way here just to help you find your mother and relentlessly watching over you. Katara has a noble heart, indeed.”

“Uncle, I think we both know just how good of a heart she has.” His voice showed a little confusion. “What’s your point here?”

Iroh raised a brow, his eyes showing a hint of complicity. “I’m just saying you two seem to have grown very close over the last few months…” 

Oh.

_ Oh. _

Zuko practically jumped off the edge of the bed. “Uncle, are we seriously going to have this conversation,  _ now?  _ Shouldn’t we be worried about getting my father to talk?” 

“We’ve just spent an hour worrying about your father, and I have to say it’s not the most pleasant thing to talk about,” Iroh replied, making a slight frown. “But if someone is so scared of talking about  _ feelings _ , we might as well go back to being wretched for a couple of hours more instead of leaving it for the morning.”

_ What do you want me to say? Do you want me to admit I’m head over heels for my friend’s ex? I certainly don’t have the time for it.  _

“Fine,” Zuko grunted. “Yes, we’ve grown closer. But we’ve been growing closer even before the end of the war, Uncle.” 

“Can you clarify which sense of ‘closer’ are you referring to?” Iroh raised a brow. “Because I’ve got to admit you two would make a more than delightful pair-“ 

“Uncle!” He felt red clipping through the back of his neck. “We’re only friends for now.” 

“But you wouldn’t mind if that changed…” 

There was no point in delaying the truth. After all, wasn’t it nice to be able to admit his feelings to someone? Especially if that person was the man who was like a father to him. 

“No, you’re right,” Zuko confessed. “My feelings for her go beyond friendship, but as you may realize things are a little too complicated at the moment.” 

Iroh made a soft yet complicit smile. “You’re perfectly suited, that’s undeniable. I wish you two the best, whenever the time is right.” 

“I’m not really sure when that time’s supposed to be, Uncle,” Zuko sighed. “Not even sure if she feels the same way.” 

“Then don’t let too much time pass before you sincere yourself to her, alright?” His voice was tinted with reassurance. “For all it matters, I believe your feelings are reciprocated.” 

“Thank you, Uncle,” he said with a light smile. “I appreciate your advice.” 

A beat of silence filled the room. Though the air was heavy with the weight of the truth. Many truths, some disheartening, and another one joyful. Perhaps that balance was needed. 

Iroh broke the quietness. “If you want, we can now go back to talk about politics and your father.” 

“That would be great,” Zuko nodded in approval. “Should I tell you about my meeting with the Council of Elders?” 

As the conversation carried on, the young Fire Lord made an effort to stay grounded. 

Juggling between royal duties, an overly complicated family situation, and pressing feelings for the person who had helped him the most, he felt constantly on the edge. But talking to his uncle about anything and everything was more than reassuring, even if his mind wouldn’t shut up for more than a few seconds. He had to stay in control. 

Even with another day in the right direction, Zuko was still okay but left to question. His father's words kept spinning around his head, tempting him to slip away. He couldn’t let it go, it was time to settle the score. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!  
> It definitely felt challenging to write Zuko's talk with Ozai, but in the end I'm pretty pleased with the results. What do you guys think of it? Don't be afraid to let me know! :)  
> As always, thank you so much for reading! Until the next update <3
> 
> P.S: I decided to finally include the total number of chapter this story is going to have, since now I'm 99,9% sure I won't mess with the outline anymore. Enjoy! (Though I'm not sure if you preferred not to know but oh well...)


	28. Change Of Direction

Everything was ready for Rya’s visit to the Royal Palace. The weather was in their favor, with blue skies, abundant sunlight, and the tiniest of breezes to give way to a break from the warmth of the sun. Because of this, the table for their gathering had been set in the gardens. 

Katara swirled across the courtyard, overseeing the final details for their afternoon tea. Right by the turtleduck pond, the table had been marvelously prepared with a carmine tablecloth and a delicate tea set. A variety of fruit tarts, sandwiches, and macaroons were the food choices for the occasion. 

Both Zuko and Iroh had insisted on having all types of delights made for them, as well as providing the best service possible; even when the busy Fire Lord and his uncle were to attend an assembly with the Council of Elders right afternoon. So the chances of either of them being able to be there to welcome Rya were little to none. Despite Katara’s objections to Zuko’s new tendency to drown himself into an excessive amount of work, Iroh had assured her that this meeting was strictly necessary. Though the waterbender felt sorry about it, she was fully prepared to greet her friend on her own. 

She straightened the folds of her blue dress as she sprinted across the courtyard, heading towards the main gates of the Palace. Rya should be there at any minute. While she waited by the main gates, Katara couldn’t help but think about how crazy everything seemed to be. Still, it was not the time to continue worrying about the future nor certain aspects of the present. She was determined to spend a jolly afternoon with her friend. 

The sound of one of the guard’s voice called her attention. “Miss Rya, healer from the Royal Hospital,” he announced. 

A more cheerful greeting followed it. “Kat!” Rya giggled as she walked through the gates of the Palace. “Thanks again for having me.” 

“No, Ry, thank _you_ for coming,” Katara replied with a smile. She tugged her friend for a gentle embrace. “Now let’s go to our table.” 

Once the two girls were settled into her seats, the ambiance at the gardens became one of dearness and laughter. 

“Whoa, you prepared all of this for me?” Rya asked, watching as her friend poured her a cup of tea. 

Katara smiled. “Of course we did.”

“And where are the rest of your fancy friends?”

“Well, Fire Lord Zuko and his uncle are at a Council meeting, so they’ll probably join us later. Though the rest of them are scattered all over the world.”

“Really?” Rya’s eyes widened. “I mean, I knew you all split up at Ba Sing Se. But I thought perhaps a few more of you had returned here.” 

“Um, no, they didn’t,” Katara hesitated for a moment. “As you know, Zuko and I traveled to the Western Earth Kingdom to sort something out. My involvement in the whole thing was only decided a few days before we parted, hence why the rest of them aren’t even caught up on it yet. Little did we know that matter would end up dragging us right back to the Fire Nation.”

“And they’re still not caught up on it?”

Rya’s question was one Katara had asked herself before. She had never been fully on board with Zuko’s decision to keep everyone else in the dark about his mother. Sokka and her were the only ones who knew, and she was the only one effectively involved in the matter. For some reason, the situation didn’t sit entirely right with her. 

“Not really, though I suppose they will be one day,” the waterbender admitted. “But we wouldn’t want to bother them just when they are getting back into normal life.”

“Girl, I don’t think the term _normal_ applies to any of you,” Rya laughed. “You all saved the world, you’ve become an example for the rest of us.”

A tad of red tainted Katara’s cheeks. “Ry, you’re overselling us,” she said with a soft laugh. “You’re just as much of an example as we are.”

“Well, yeah, I’m pretty great, thank you very much,” Rya grimaced. “Though I mean it, I’m sure you wouldn’t be a bother to them. Why not get them involved in whatever scheme you seem to have going on?”

 _Because it’s a very delicate subject Ry,_ Katara thought, scared of starting to doubt herself. _And Zuko is reluctant to tell anybody. We’ve been fine on our own, we wouldn’t even know where to start if we tell the others._

“Because it isn’t necessary,” she ended up saying. “We’re managing.”

“You and Fire Lord Zuko?” Rya raised a brow. 

Katara’s heart skipped a beat. She shouldn’t let her feelings cause her to misinterpret her friend’s words. “Yes, me and Zuko. We’re used to working together.” 

“How did he end up liking the South Pole?”

“I believe he enjoyed his time there. And an international collaboration ended up coming out of it, so that’s brilliant,” she replied, remembering how easy everything seemed back there. “It was nice to show him around the place where Sokka and I grew up.”

“Kat, am I going to be seeing more of you here in the future?”

Her eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

“Well, you seem very involved in Fire Nation business, working at the Healing Wing and on all those secret projects of yours,” Rya explained, her voice having a strain of complicity to it. “And since Fire Lord Zuko and you are so close… I don’t know, it’s just my wishful thinking. I would love for you to stick around for longer.”

There was the future crippling into her headspace once again. Who knew what she wanted to do after their search was over? Of course, she had a few things in mind, or at least a few choices to consider. But she couldn’t allow such an anxious topic to distract her from the current goal. First, finding Ursa. Obsessing about what to do with her life? Definitely second. 

Though Rya had taken the time to remark how close she was to Zuko, and Katara couldn’t simply let that go unnoticed. Perhaps her feelings for him were getting a little too obvious. Still, her friend spoke the truth. Her bond with the young Fire Lord was as tight as ever, and there was no way to deny it. Whether that meant something else or not was still up for debate. 

“Ry, I’m not sure what the future might hold for me.” Katara’s voice made her uncertainty all that much clear. “You’re right, though, I’m very involved around here. And I don’t think that’s going to change, not soon anyway. But I’d prefer to remain focused on the project I’m currently working on right now before planning any more.”

“Girl, relax, I was just being curious,” Rya reassured her with a bright smile. “I’m just not eager to see you leaving again.”

“And I’m not looking forward to missing you either,” Katara smiled. “But enough about me. What’s new with your life?”

“Well, Merin is getting better at school every day. Though the little genius keeps complaining about me being away all day.” The girl rolled her eyes. “I’m considering asking for a higher-up position even if that means more paperwork and less hands-on kinda work. Those jobs usually have a smaller workload for the same or better paycheck.”

“That way you can spend more time at home, right?”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t want Merin to start slacking on his studies just because I’m gone all day. Though nothing is decided yet,” Rya said as she took a sip from her tea. “Girl, this might just be the best tea I’ve ever had.”

The waterbender smiled, pleased to know her friend was enjoying her time at the Royal Palace. “Uncle Iroh did it himself, he wouldn’t let anyone else take care of our tea around here on his watch.”

“General Iroh? It still impresses me how you know everyone so well.”

“Well, now you’ll know him too,” Katara stated, twitching her lips into a warm smile. 

Their conversation was carried on amidst tea, fruit pie, and macaroons. It felt nice to enjoy a relatively stress-free chat with a friend. 

Rya shared the updates of her life, without failing to shrug about her never-ending pile of responsibilities. Meanwhile, Katara told her everything that hadn’t made it to the letters, leaving out only a few details about her true feelings for a certain firebender. Though something told her that her friend wasn’t so clueless about what was going on in that department. Still, the topic remained off the table for the afternoon. 

Somewhere in between their third and fourth cup of tea - because the tea really was _that_ good - an affable voice made them tilt their heads. 

“Good afternoon ladies,” Iroh greeted them as he approached their table. 

“Hello you two,” Zuko quickly followed. “Rya, I don’t think we’ve met before, am I right?” 

Rya rushed to stand up, making a timid bow. “No, my Lord, we haven’t.”

“There’s really no need for that,” he replied. “Sit down, please, we just wanted to join you for a moment if you don’t mind.”

The Fire Lord had a tired look in his eyes, and Katara couldn’t help but frown with concern. She doubted the Council could’ve had such a preoccupying outcome, so his worry must’ve been related to the matter of Ursa. 

“Zuko, you know we couldn’t possibly mind,” Katara interrupted, gifting him with a warm smile. “Come on, let me pour you some tea.” She gestured him to take a seat by her side, which he quickly complied with. 

“Thank you, dear, that’s sweet of you,” Iroh said as he took a seat next to Rya. “I’m Iroh, very nice to meet you.” 

Rya grinned in return. “I believe it’s you I’ve got to thank for this wonderful tea.”

“It is me, thank you,” Iroh replied, grimacing with pride. “That’s my favorite jasmine blend, only the best for Master Katara and her guest.”

“Iroh, _please_ ,” the waterbender pleaded with a blushed smirk. “I thought we’ve agreed there’s no need for you to call me Master.”

The old man threw his hands in the air. “But I still like to do so from time to time.” 

“So, Rya, tell us about yourself,” Zuko said, trying to put up his most lively front. “Katara is certainly a fan of your work at the Healing Wing.”

The healer’s cheeks turned red. “Well, there’s not that much to tell. Kay’s probably hyped me up a little too much.”

“Nonsense, she’s just being silly,” Katara intervened. “Come on, Ry, do tell.”

Rya shot her a killer look. “Alright, girl, if you say so,” she smiled. “Well, I started training at the Medical Center about five years ago…” 

As her friend told the two men all about her career in the medical field, her hometown, and her family, Katara took the liberty to keep an eye on the person sitting next to her. Zuko looked as if he was trying his very best. Still, she could see right through him. He was hurting, and with a more than fair reason for it. But she wasn’t sure how much longer she was going to be able to stand it. Despite her best efforts - and Iroh’s - he still looked almost as if he was a living deadman. And there was no way on earth she was going to let that happen. 

Shaking her head, Katara prompted herself to smile and focus on a jolly afternoon she was spending with Rya. Now that Zuko and Iroh had finally joined them, things couldn’t get livelier. If only the Fire Lord didn’t look so stressed… _No._ She had to enjoy the moment. 

“Hey, Ry, why don’t you tell them about Merin’s stellar grades?” Her question came out like a cheerful and strange plea. 

“Sure, that should keep you all entertained for long enough,” her friend answered. 

And so Katara immersed herself fully back into the conversation. That brief while of joy and carefreeness amidst a complicated quest. 

  
  


“So… Did you enjoy your gathering at the Royal Palace?” Katara asked her friend as they approached the main gates. 

“Enjoy it?” Rya laughed. “I loved it! I’ve never been treated this nicely as a guest. Thank you, Kat, and keep thanking Iroh and Zuko for me.”

“Just Zuko now, huh?” Katara made a playful smirk. “Someone’s getting comfortable with my so-called fancy friends.” 

“Oh, honey, your friends weren’t even here today!” Rya exclaimed with a mischievous grin. 

“What do you mean?” The waterbender frowned. “Zuko’s my friend and Iroh is his uncle.”

“Zuko is your _friend.”_ The healer rested her back against the main gates. “And I’m your oldie aunt, for sure.”

Katara turned bright red in a matter of seconds. “Ry, is there something you’re trying to imply?”

“Only that I’ve seen right through both of you.” The girl smiled triumphantly. “Forgive me if this isn’t my place to say it. But it’s crystal clear you two are more than just friendly towards each other.”

Her heart skipped a beat. “And how exactly did you jump to this dramatic conclusion?”

“Common sense? Good instincts?” Rya let out a scandalous laugh. “You’re seriously adorable together.” 

“This is the first time you’ve ever even met him!” 

“Undeniable attraction is easy to detect, my friend. And you two have far bigger of a connection than just that.” 

“I’m not admitting to any of your theories yet,” Katara grimaced.

“Girl, I’ve seen the way you looked at him all the damn afternoon.” Her friend rolled her eyes. “You have feelings for the Fire Lord, deal with it.”

“Someone’s feeling very bold today, huh?” Katara raised a brow. “You’re right, I do have feelings for him. But that’s not the only reason I kept looking at him today, he seemed too stressed.”

“Isn’t the primary political figure of an entire Nation entitled to feel stressed?”

“Well, yeah. Still, trust me. I know him too well, and I can tell you he was overly stressed today.”

“ _I know him too well,”_ Rya imitated her. “Look at you. Master Katara is crazy about my Lord.” 

“Sh! The guards could hear you!” The waterbender shushed her. “Come on, aren’t you late for your family night already?”

“Crap, you’re right. Merin will pout about it forever.” Rya straightened up, gifting her friend with a playful smile. “But don’t think you’re off the hook just because of it.”

“Am I not allowed to be left alone with my feelings?” 

“You are, as long as you include me,” Rya deadpanned. 

“You’re one of a kind, Ry. You really are.” 

“I hope that’s a compliment,” she giggled, crossing the gates. Then, she whispered. “I’m sure he feels the same, by the way.”

“Rya! Come on, even if I’m pleased to hear that,” Katara blushed. “I don’t intend for everyone at the Palace to find out.”

“Kat, you should try relaxing for more than five minutes,” Rya pleaded. “You still love your obnoxiously clever friend?”

“I still love my obnoxiously clever friend.” Her words were sincere. “Thank you, Ry. I seriously enjoyed your company today.” 

“My pleasure, your highness,” she smiled as she started to walk away. “Enjoy your Palace!”

“It’s _not_ mine, Spirits!” Katara laughed. “Though you know that already.” 

“Secret meaning, Kat!” Rya stuck her tongue out at her. “See you!”

“See you, Ry!” Katara shouted, watching as her friend sprinted through the streets. 

That girl had a killer instinct, huh?

* * *

“Katara, for the millionth time, I’m _fine_ ,” Zuko whined. “There’s no need to exaggerate.” 

She threw her hands in the air, grunting an objection. “Can’t you just cut it off already?” 

Sunday morning had found Katara in a puzzled state of mind. Despite the somewhat reassuring conversation she had previously shared with Zuko and knowing that Iroh also had made sure to talk to him, the situation hadn’t seemed to improve all that much. He looked more and more distressed with every passing second. 

By the end of breakfast, she hadn’t failed to notice Zuko’s lack of appetite and absent-mindedness. Even though he had made an effort to put out a strong front for everyone, she knew that his father’s words had most likely torn him apart. His eyes seemed tainted with despair and a great deal of desperation was cleverly hidden behind a brittle smile. So it was decided she had endured enough of it. Seeing him crumpling apart would not lead to any kind of satisfying results, so she had already started to plot an alternative. It was clear that talking to Ozai wasn’t the most fruitful of quests, hence the crippling need for a change of strategy.

Now, standing in the middle of his office, Katara cursed herself for failing to remember just how stubborn Zuko could be. 

“Cut _what_ off?” His words came out as a whine. “We’re stuck! My father won’t talk and Agni knows I have no way of figuring out how to change that. The least I can do is make myself useful and work.”

“Work does not include allowing yourself to be consumed because of your father’s words!” she exclaimed, feeling her head starting to buzz. “Look, I’ve been thinking about this…”

“And?” Zuko straightened on his seat, his golden eyes piercing right through her. 

She swirled from one side of the room to the other, taking a deep breath before saying anything. “I think it’s time we tell the others.” 

“What?” A crooked smirk took over his face. “You’re kidding, right?”

She wasn’t. Not even by a long shot. The thought had been lingering her mind ever since their return to the Fire Nation. Perhaps ever since she had learned Ozai was their only choice. Because she had seen this coming, she knew right from the start that the chances of Zuko succumbing to the turmoil of the situation were blatantly high. 

“Why would I be kidding?” Katara sighed. “You’ve said it yourself. We’re stuck.”

“First of all, would you mind sitting down?” Zuko burst out. “You might just give me a heart attack if you keep up with that incessant circling around.” 

“ _I_ might just give _you_ a heart attack? You’re the one who’s not taking care of yourself!”

Unbelievable. As if she was going to just lay back and watch him shatter apart. 

“Katara, please?” His words seemed stuck in between a whisper and a plea. “I’ll listen to any crazy ideas of yours.” 

“Alright, you really are impossible,” she complied with a half-smile, taking a seat in front of him. “The thing is, I hate to see you like this. Your Uncle has noticed it as well, you’re walking yourself into a corner.” 

“But what does any of it have to do with telling the others?”

That had been a question Katara had asked herself as soon as the idea popped into her mind. Why tell the rest of the gang? As she reflected on all the possible answers, another way around had occurred to her. Perhaps the question itself had been phrased wrongly from the beginning. Why _not_ tell their friends? That was it. Nothing bad could come out of sharing the information with them and seeking their support. 

“Because maybe they’ll think of something!” she exclaimed. “Maybe they’ll come up with a solution that hasn’t crossed our minds. Worst case scenario, you see your friends for no particular reason.”

Zuko frowned. “Well, great then. Nothing like being an annoyance to lift my spirits.” 

Katara felt a sting on her chest. “Please tell me you don’t mean that.” 

“What if I do?”

“Because if you’re an annoyance then what makes it of me, huh?” Her voice got stuck on her throat. “I’m here to help _you_. And all you do is stress out while I’m here having tea with your uncle or chatting up with Rya. Because you still won’t let me in.”

“Katara, are you serious right now?” His eyes showed a great deal of despair, mixed with a hint of regret. “I have no clue what mess I would be without you by my side.”

Her heart started pounding on her chest with such fury that she was scared it might slip away. A part of her knew very well the implications of those words. But it wasn´t the time to get her hopes up regarding her feelings for the boy sitting in front of her. She had to make her point clear. 

“You keep saying you won't disappear or shut me or your uncle out again. It doesn’t seem like it. We are worried, Zuko. Worried about you.” A bit of hesitation betrayed her. “And you won't let anyone else help. I can’t just sit here and watch you do this to yourself.” 

“Katara…” The Fire Lord rested his head on top of his hands, leaning her elbows over the desk. “You are right. Still, I don’t see the need to include the other on this ordeal.”

“Wouldn't you prefer to have them here?” she asked, widening her eyes. “Would it really be so bad?”

He stayed quiet for what felt like ages. It was clear his mind was yet to be made upon the matter. When he spoke, doubt tainted his every word. “What would we even say to them?” 

“We could start with the truth, it would be easier on paper.” Katara let out a sigh. “Then I suppose you could make it clear you wouldn’t mind their support.”

“But wouldn’t that be much of a bother to them?” Zuko grimaced. 

“You know, Rya actually made me reflect on this yesterday,” she said, raising a brow. “She asked me why _not_ get them involved, instead of being so fixed on justifying telling the truth to our friends. Because, Zuko, remember what happened when I found out you kept this from me. Why wouldn’t they feel the same way? Why wouldn’t they prefer to help?” 

“I don't know, alright?” His words gave away just how defeated he felt. “Katara, I’m trying my best to juggle all these things at once. Guessing other people's thoughts is my prime skill at the moment.”

“Then why don’t you just trust me with this one, huh?” She leaned forward, fighting to take a better look at him. “Let’s tell the rest of us what we are doing. Take a chance and see if something good can come out of it.”

Zuko lifted her sight to look into her eyes. “Are you sure about this?”

She rested her elbows on the desk, mirroring his stand. “I am, I promise. All I do is because I care about you.” 

He sighed, making the slightest of smirks. “Alright, I’m still not sure. But if you insist…” 

A knock on the door interrupted Katara’s attempt to congratulate the young Fire Lord on his decision. Though the minute she saw who stepped into the room, another idea came to mind. 

“Iroh!” she cheered. “Come in, we could actually use your help to settle something once and for all.”

The Fire Lord shot her a puzzled look. “Uncle, you better comply or I’m not sure what she’ll do to us.”

“I was just going to ask you when would you prefer to sit down for lunch.” The old man took a seat on the chair next to Katara, looking at the two teenagers with a fair share of curiosity. “But go ahead, explain.” 

“I think we should tell the others,” she stated, a firm tone ruling over her words. “I’m sure they would hate knowing they might’ve been able to help but we decided not to trust them.”

“Katara, it’s not a matter of trust,” Zuko intervened. “It’s a matter of convenience.”

“And wouldn’t it be far more convenient to have our friends here, willing to help in finding your mother?” She was not going to give up her stand. “I can assure you more brains think faster.” 

“Convenient for us, perhaps,” he remarked. “But would it truly be that way for them?”

“Didn’t you just say you would do as I thought best?” Katara let out an exasperated sigh. “Please, don’t make me start over-”

“Alright, you two,” Iroh interrupted. “I’m almost shocked to see you disagreeing on something after so long. But I think I get the point here. You can't agree on whether or not to tell the rest of your friends, right?”

Right,” Katara burst out. “I want to tell them the truth, prompt them to come here.”

“And I just want to let them focus on whatever they want to focus at the moment,” Zuko rushed to add. “Uncle, what do you think?”

“Mmm,” Iroh hummed, his glance going back and forth the two of them. “I believe it wouldn’t hurt to have your friends here.” 

“Ha!” Katara couldn’t help but make a triumphal grin. “I knew it was a good idea.”

“But why?” Zuko asked, looking confused. “I mean, it wouldn’t hurt but… Where’s the need?”

“There.” Iroh pinpointed his nephew’s eye bags and stressed frown. “ _There’s_ the need. Even though I hate to say it, you could use some extra help.” 

“But I have you and Katara!” the Fire Lord complained. “And it’s already frustrating enough that I’m failing to fix anything by myself to-”

“Zuko, could you be a little nicer with yourself?” Katara interfered. “It’s really not your fault Ozai is the worst embittered man on earth.” 

A beat of silence found its way to the room. The waterbender herself felt surprised at her words. So much for subtlety and patience. All she wanted was for Zuko to be fully happy once and for all. For him to get closure, the jolly ending that she could never have. But his father seemed determined to make things impossible for them. And there was no way she was going to let that slide. 

“Katara’s right, Nephew,” Iroh broke the silence. “We just want to help you. Unless you simply don’t want them here.”

“No, it’s not that,” Zuko whispered. “I don’t know, alright? I wanted to be able to settle this down on my own.”

“And you will,” Iroh reassured him. “But I can assure you the road to success will be far more pleasant if you let other people support you along the way.”

“Other people meaning the rest of our gang,” Katara added. “I’m confident the minute they hear the news they’ll practically come running.” 

“So…” Zuko hesitated. “Should I write to them?”

“If you feel confident doing so, of course.” Iroh’s voice was the gentlest. 

The young Fire Lord stared into Katara’s eyes. Then, he looked at his uncle. “I think I do. I mean, the Palace feels awfully quiet without everyone’s bickering.”

“Then invite them to come,” Iroh reinforced. “It’ll ultimately be their choice and you know it. You wouldn’t be forcing us to take the bother.” 

“Alright, so it’s settled then,” Zuko complied. “They’ll know the truth.” 

“I’m proud of you,” Katara said, gifting him with a warm smile. “Should we get to it then? Start writing the letters?” 

A hint of doubt clouded Zuko’s expression. “No. If you don’t mind, I think this should be my doing.”

“Of course, it’s your secret to tell,” she agreed. 

“Good to see you’re both on the same page once again,” Iroh cheerfully said. “Should we see if luncheon is ready now?” 

“Actually, I wanted to dive straight into writing the letters,” Zuko stated, rubbing the back of his neck. “If you don’t mind.” 

“Sure, we’ll leave you to it.” Katara practically jumped off her seat. “I’m sure luncheon can wait.” 

“Most certainly so,” Iroh agreed, also standing up. “But the second you’re done you’re eating with us, got it?” he said to his nephew. “No more mistreating your health.”

“Alright, alright,” Zuko grunted. “I'll search for you two when I’m done.” 

Once Katara and Iroh were out of the office, she let out a relieved sigh. A part of her still couldn't believe they had convinced Zuko of sharing the burden with the others. It might've been the most rushed decision she had taken in the last couple of months, yet it felt awfully right. With everyone else on board, things seemed bound to take a brighter turn. 

“If only we could figure out a way of making Ozai talk,” she confessed to Iroh as they walked through the hallway. “Then I might just stop feeling this incessant lump on my throat.” 

The old man turned to her with a scheming look in his eyes. “Would you believe me if I tell you I have an idea for a plan?” 

“ _What?”_ Katara asked, shocked. “You do? And why didn’t you mention anything?” 

“Because it’s really the start of the beginning of an idea,” Iroh grimaced. “And Zuko would only refuse if we tell him without putting some serious thought into it. Plus, it would be our last resource in case his next visit to Ozai ends up in nothing as well.”

“I’m scared Zuko might tell him about the anti-war movement, that would only make things worse. Though now he seems a little calmer.” She stopped in the middle of the corridor. “And you think that with everyone else here he might consider your plan?”

“Well, that’s one way to put it,” Iroh sighed. “Yes, if everyone else thinks it viable, then he’ll have to comply.”

_Iroh scheming? What else could possibly happen now? Better get straight to it._

Katara raised a brow. “Can’t you tell me what this plan is about?”

Iroh made a preoccupied frown. “For starters, it involves Azula…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!  
> Sorry for the lateish update but I've been pre-selected to apply for an extracurricular program at my uni, hence why my weekend ended up filled with cover letters and resume polishing time. So here I am, bringing you a new chapter this Monday!
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed it! Things are getting trickier, huh? We'll see how these two manage to juggle this whole ordeal while doing their best to deal with their feelings for each other. 
> 
> Until the next update guys! Thank you so much for reading! Remember comments are always really appreciated <3


	29. With A Little Help From My Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter was chosen after the song with the same name, courtesy of The Beatles. It's an amazing song! It always lightens up my mood. Highly recommend going to listen to it as soon as you can ;)  
> Alright, now I'll let you get right into it!

Toph was the first to arrive, about four days after all the letters had been sent. 

She had delivered a message informing of her immediate return to the Fire Nation. It didn’t come out exactly as a shock, given the way the earthbender had spoken about going back to Gaoling already weeks ago. It would be great to have her back on the team and Zuko was more than excited to see his friend again. Though a part of him still couldn’t believe he had dared to tell everyone the truth in the first place.

It hadn’t been easy. Not even by a long shot. He had poured his heart out in those letters, going crazy whilst searching for the right thing to say. Something that could make them understand how he felt and why he kept the whole thing a secret right off the bat. The words had stumbled down onto the paper and he wasn’t sure how many times he repeated that no one was obligated to come running to help. Those letters hadn’t been perfect but real. They showed him more vulnerable than he would’ve preferred. But the response from his friends had been overwhelmingly positive. 

The ship in which Toph traveled with was docked at the port by midday. Alongside Katara and Iroh, he took the liberty of waiting for her right there. Her arrival marked a new chapter on their quest. Hopefully, a short and sweet one. 

“Sparky? Sugar Queen?” Toph’s voice resonated all over the place as soon as she stepped foot on firm land. “Iroh? You’ve all come to welcome me here? I’m almost touched.” 

“Hey Toph,” Zuko greeted her with a pad on the back. “Good trip then?”

“Good you say?” She let out a scandalous laugh. “Oh man, how I was dying to get here already! Honestly, when my parents read me your letter I had to restrain myself from doing a little dance of joy.”

Katara didn’t take long to wrap the girl in a warm hug. “I take it you weren’t exactly looking forward to staying with them for all eternity,” she said as she squeezed her tightly. 

“You bet. For now let’s just say that I love them and all but I’m much better doing my own kinda thing,” Toph shrugged as she let go. Then, she approached Uncle. “ Iroh, it’s so nice to see you again! Haven’t these two driven you crazy already?” 

The old man gifted her with a tender smile. “Not quite, Toph, not quite. Though I’m glad to have you here.”

“Alright, alright,” Zuko grimaced. “Should we continue this in the Palace? Lunch should be ready soon enough.”

Needless to say, Toph was instantly on board with that plan. The whole way back home was spent exchanging anecdotes. Though the focus was clearly on the earthbender and her adventures at Gaoling. Zuko had already told her everything relevant about his and Katara’s ordeals. And he preferred to leave some of the most sentimental details to himself unless asked to. 

Surprise, surprise, he ended up being asked about it. As if Toph would relent a chance to put him on the spot. 

“So… Sparky, why don’t you share with me what all those racing hearts all about?” His friend asked the minute they were left alone together. “Because we both know something’s more than going on here.”

“Um, yeah. Well, you see,” Zuko mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t even know how we got here.”

“You don’t even know how you two ended up spending every minute of the past month together?” She chuckled, taking a seat on one of the dining chairs. “Come on, you can communicate better than that.”

“Sorry, Toph, I’m not really at the prime of my headspace right now,” he said as he let out a sigh. “I guess things escalated quickly from when she first asked me to stay at the South Pole for a few days. Before I knew it, she was dead set on coming with me to find Mother.” 

“Mmm,” Toph hummed. “I see.”

“You know I didn’t tell her myself, right? I said it in the letter,” he rushed to say, worried his friend might feel offended for being left in the dark for so long. “She found out. And she hasn’t given up on me yet.”

“Two things, Sparky. One: I’m not pissed at you for not telling the rest of us the truth. Yeah, it would’ve been nice of you to have a little more trust in us but you do you.” Her words sounded sincere, it was clear she didn’t hold any kind of grudge against him even if she wished he hadn’t.

“Thank you, Toph,” Zuko interfered. “It really means a lot that you’re here.” 

“My pleasure. Now, come on, let me get to the best part,” she carried on with her statement. “Two: Sugar Queen has made sure to keep you close all around the globe for the past few months, she was the one worried about you and determined to seek our support in order to benefit  _ you, _ and she’s very clearly fallen out with Aang in the romantic sense.” Toph flipped her hands in the air as her expression changed into a mischievous grin. “ _ And you don’t know what’s going on?” _

Zuko couldn’t hold a nervous smirk. “Well, I guess when you put it that way-”

“Oh please, I’m supposed to be the blind one here!” Toph interrupted him with a laugh. “You have feelings for her… She has feelings for you… It’s more than simple.” 

“We did almost kiss a while ago…”

“You two  _ what?” _ she exclaimed, leaning forward. “And when were you planning on telling me this? We’re making improvements around here, I’m proud.” 

“Yeah, well, now all improvements seem so small.” His voice had a strain of eagerness to it. “We have to focus on finding Mother. I’m stressed all day, she’s concerned as well. And let’s not forget Aang is coming too.”

“What about Twinkle Toes?” Toph asked, frowning. “Wasn’t he the one to call things off in the first place?”

“Kind of. There was that whole deal about the Air Temples,” Zuko hesitated. “Still, now he’s coming back. Katara is here, he is going to be here… I wouldn’t be surprised if he tries to make a move.”

“Zuko, Katara definitely feels something for you. Why would she even want to get back with Aang?”

“Because... I don’t know!” His voice angrily trailed off. “I don’t have a single clue of what could happen between them. Or with Katara and I. Even if something were to happen between us, Aang is still here. And I bet he wouldn’t be a fan of the idea.” 

“That’s a risk you have to see if you’re willing to take for her,” Toph said, her words firm as a rock. “Just don’t take forever to let her know how you feel, alright? Now, we wait and see what happens when Aang gets here.” 

Indeed, the Avatar didn’t disappoint. Though he arrived on the same day as Suki and Ty Lee, so a group dynamic was rapidly established before Zuko could get a chance to start reading too much into things. Either way, the Fire Lord didn’t fail to notice the way Katara became particularly uneasy on the eve of their friend’s return.

He had greeted the Avatar with the same affection as always, trying not to let his feelings for her get in the way of their friendship. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so that was reassuring. Besides, Katara had told him things were done between them. So hopefully there would be nothing to worry about. 

Once the three newly-arrived ones had settled in, everyone gathered at the salon for a little welcome teatime. 

“Zuko, Katara! Sokka told me in his last letter to warn you he’s getting here a day earlier,” Suki yelled from the other side of the room. The girl was catching up with Toph and Iroh as the three of them wandered around a tray of scones. 

“Wait, that’s great!” Katara cheered. She was talking to Aang right by the fireplace, who seemed peculiarly interested in keeping her as close as possible. “Though he was silly not to send a letter straight to us about it.”

_ Us. _ Zuko loved the sound of it. After all, it had been the two of them who had summoned and welcomed everyone else back into the Fire Nation, with Iroh’s guidance. For weeks it had been only them taking over the weight of the world. They were quite the pair, he had to admit. And why not come clean about it? Everyone knew about their traveling duo. Still, hearing Katara say it just like that made his heart go racing on his chest. He could get more than used to being referred to as  _ ‘Us’ _ when it came to his relationship with the waterbender. 

“So I see Mai’s not here yet,” Ty Lee brought his attention back to reality. “Any clue of when she’ll be arriving?” 

“Um, we agreed on her coming once Sokka arrived,” Zuko replied as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I guess I should send a messenger hawk to let her know of the slight change of schedule.” 

“I see we’re not wasting any time.” She had a sympathetic expression on her face. “Though I’m glad she’s actually coming to meet us given how busy she seems to be with her new life.”

“Well, it wasn’t particularly easy to tell her the truth. But her reply to my initial letter was far more positive than what I had expected,”. Zuko explained, feeling himself getting uneasy once again. “She’s going to stick around while we sort things out. It was her offer so I couldn’t say no.”

It was the truth. The letter to Mai had probably been the hardest to write. Not only because of having to tell the truth about his mother but also due to the way things had ended up between them. Mai had second-handedly found out about his feelings for Katara, which had pushed her to seek a life beyond their flopped relationship. What right did he have to summon her back now? Absolutely none. That’s why he hadn’t even suggested it, instead, he had politely mentioned the return of the rest of their friends. It hadn’t been easy to disclose to her who had been the person by his side for the past several weeks. 

Though Zuko had done it. He had written to Mai about his mother and about Katara’s help with his search. In the end, honesty had gained him a visit from her once everyone else arrived and the promise of wholehearted support. Still, nothing could change how anxious he was feeling about her and Aang’s return. After weeks of being one with Katara, now they were faced with a new dynamic. One that seemed to include the people they used to be involved with. As if they didn’t have enough of a challenge already.

“I see. To be honest, I was hesitant about her return.” A frown clouded her expression. 

“I know the way we parted ways must’ve seemed sudden to you,” Zuko admitted, starting to feel a little nervous. “But I did tell her that my sincerity wasn’t a plea for her return. It wouldn’t be fair, not with… Well, you know. Still, she said she would.”

“With you two falling out?”

“Yeah…” His tone gave away how uneasy he felt as a sudden doubt clouded his mind. Rubbing the back of his neck, he continued to speak. “Um, by any chance, since you’ve mentioned it… What did Mai tell you about us?”

“What, is there something you’re keeping from me?” The acrobat’s eyes shimmered as she made a peckish grin. “Relax, you know her, she mostly mentioned her desire to start over. Though she did say there were things she had to keep to herself.” 

“Mmm,” Zuko hummed, thanking Agni for not having to explain himself any further. “We’re good now, don’t worry about it.” 

“Should I?” 

“What?  _ No!”  _ His voice got a little too loud. “It’s fine, Ty. We just grew in different directions.” 

“Alright, alright. Breathe, Zuko, I’m not here to condemn you.” Ty Lee tilted her head to take a look at everyone else in the room. “Can’t believe we’re reuniting after so little. Even if it’s not because of the nicest of situations.”

“Well, at least I get to see you all again.” His glance shifted as he overheard Katara and Aang’s conversation. The Avatar seemed pretty invested in hoarding most of her attention. Perhaps a little bit of air wouldn’t hurt. “You know, I should talk to Katara about the change in schedule. And, um, I should probably write to Mai.”

“Go, go,” Ty Lee prompted him. Though a suspicious look still lingered in her eyes. “We wouldn’t want Mai to arrive late.” 

Despite noticing the strangeness of her remark, Zuko still walked away. There was no way around how overwhelmed he was feeling. He was grateful to his friends for being there, of course, but their return had somehow managed to make his emotions seem more intense. Each step of the way appeared to bring more challenges. And he certainly didn’t enjoy that. 

_ Katara, I just hope you have a way of making this work,  _ he thought as he approached the girl he was head over heels for. His mind threatened to start spiraling up and down. Between his feelings for her, the situation with his family, and the arrival of Mai, Aang, and everyone else, confusion was all he could see.

* * *

Sokka and Mai arrived only a couple of days later. 

Needless to say, the group reunion was a warm and even emotional moment. It was safe to assume none of them thought they would all be together again so soon, despite how hurried their goodbye had been back at Ba Sing Se. Still, they all knew what was the cause behind their unexpected get together. So they acted accordingly, realizing there was no time left to lose. 

Of course, seeing Sokka back at the Palace brought Zuko a tremendous deal of joy. Not only because he was one of his closest friends, but he was also already aware of everything. It felt good to have someone else who understood without asking many questions. On top of it all, he was grateful to have the chance to see Suki again, so his presence brought much-needed energy and some good news from the South Pole. 

Mai had been a tougher one to welcome back. She had been very eloquent about her personal take on Katara’s willingness to help him from the get-go. Just as she had once described, she found it ‘painfully obvious’ that the waterbender had feelings for him. Despite her scoffing tone and sharp remarks, such confidence on that being the case sent his heart for a race. Though he struggled to focus on his feelings amidst the craziness of it all. But seeing Mai again, slightly smirking at him as she greeted everyone, made him feel relieved. She appeared to be at peace with how things had turned out between them. And that was about as reassuring as their situation could get. 

After the two newly arrived ones settled down, the entire group gathered in the salon, in order to discuss the current situation and - hopefully - come up with a more efficient plan. It was crystal clear that Zuko’s visits to Ozai carried no results at all. 

Despite having explained himself on the letters, the Fire Lord still chose to do so once again. He took the time to share with his friends everything he knew about his mother, every talk, every last piece of information, all that he could think of. Katara didn’t stay behind, often interfering to add her own input to the narrative or to remind him of any detail he might’ve overlooked as he rushed his way through the facts. Iroh also chipped in if necessary, even though he seemed quieter than usual. 

The rest of them listened with great care. Zuko could only hope none of them resented him for keeping things a secret. Regardless of them already being aware of most of the story, he could tell it was different for them to hear it straight from him. In the middle of what seemed to be quite the mystery, there was them. Joined with the goal of putting an end to the suspense. 

Once he was done talking, it was time to start plotting.

“I could go ahead and talk to Ozai,” Aang offered, always willing to give a try to a conversation based solution. “Maybe he’ll tell me something.”

“To the boy who took away his bending? No way,” Toph scoffed before raising a first.“I say you leave me alone with him for five minutes, you’ll see what results look like.”

The reaction from everyone else was a little more than apprehensive. Aang and Zuko grew pale within a second, as the rest frowned with concern.

“We are not torturing anyone, Toph,” Katara stated. 

“What if she wasn’t suggesting that?” Mai intervened. “Perhaps all the old man needs is a good scare to start talking.”

“No.” Zuko’s voice made it more than clear. “Not yet at least.”

“Wait, I think I have a plan!” Sokka proclaimed. “We could send one of us to tell Ozai we already know where Ursa’s hometown is. We trick him into thinking we have the high ground and see how he reacts. There’s a chance he’ll spill it out before we even get to lie about it”

“Well,” Ty lee seemed to hesitate for a moment. “That doesn’t sound too bad, huh?” 

Suki put her arm around his boyfriend’s shoulder. “Not too bad at all so far.”

“I still think you should let me with him,” Toph muttered.

“Uncle, you’ve been awfully quiet.” Zuko looked into Iroh’s eyes, searching for an answer. “What do you think?”

The man kept silent for a few moments, only to shoot Katara a scheming look before speaking. “Actually, there’s been a particular idea running around my head for a few days.”

Something about his uncle’s gesture made Zuko suspicious. Was he out of the loop on something? Because he certainly hadn’t heard about any new ideas. 

“Well then,” Aang prompted. “Tell us.” 

“How come I’ve been kept in the dark about this?” He just couldn’t contain his concerns. 

Iroh looked at him with tenderness in his eyes. “Because we needed to be sure your talks with Ozai wouldn’t work.”

“ _ We _ ?” Wait. There was no way…

“Yes, Zuko,” Katara interfered. There was something apologetic about her tone. “We are still on the fence about this idea.” 

“So I see,” he mumbled. Despite how much he disliked feeling left out, it would be pointless to become embittered about it. His best option was to listen to what they had to say. “Go on then, I’m listening.” 

“Yeah, definitely,” Sokka said, eyes widening with anticipation. “Tell us.”

“So I was thinking that Ozai won’t talk to you, right?” Uncle cautiously began to explain. “You said he promised he wouldn’t tell you anything…”

“But Iroh thought that perhaps there is someone else he might be willing to speak to,” Katara added. “Someone he has shown a preference for in the past.”

A frown clouded Zuko’s expression as soon as he heard those words. He had a feeling he was not going to like this idea. 

“Nephew, we should ask Azula to talk to your father,” Iroh finally said. “If anyone can get information out of him, it’s her.” 

“No.” The words came out of his mouth faster than he would’ve ever thought possible. No hesitation, no doubt, just the purest of instincts.

“Zuko, it’s really not that bad of an idea,” Aang intervened. 

“It’s the truth.” Mai tried to look at him, only to find a mere crystallized glance in his eyes. “Azula knew how to handle him, sometimes.”

“I still think I could make it work,” Toph grimaced. “But you have to admit it sounds a little promising.” 

“Don’t you all remember she’s in a mental institution?” Zuko exclaimed. His voice showed just how unbearable the idea was to him. “This won’t work.”

A beat of silence invaded the room. Everyone in there seemed aware of the delicacy of the situation. 

Finally, Katara spoke. “Zuko, what other choice do we have?” Her eyes met his as her words sounded like a plea. “I know Azula is not in the best state of mind. Still, we have to at least try.”

“I took the liberty to have a talk with her doctors and they say she’s been calmer these days,” Iroh stated. “Look, I don’t want to cause any of you pain. But you have to admit there’s a chance she’ll manage to get the information for us.”

“Azula is more than good at convincing people,” Ty Lee chipped in, a hurtful expression clouding her face. “She knows how to mess with their heads.”

“Well, that I can back up,” Suki added. “If she’s capable of it, we should give it a go.”

Zuko shook his head, still not convinced by the proposition. “Why would she even want to do it?”

“That is something you should ask her yourself.” Iroh’s voice was full of determination. “When you visit her and tell her about our plan.”

“I still haven’t agreed to it, Uncle.” His words seemed empty, only filled with doubts. 

“Sparky, please be reasonable,” Toph insisted. “You won’t achieve nothing by sitting here hesitating all day long.”

“I believe we all are in agreement except for you, Nephew,” Iroh declared, somehow managing to speak in a reassuring yet severe tone. “At the moment, Azula is our best shot at finding your mother.”

_ ‘Finding your mother’ _ , those words shook him. For a second, Zuko was left with a sheer sense of astonishment. In between all his confusion and frustration, he had failed to see things from a larger perspective. All of it - Iroh serving as the interim Fire Lord, Katara refusing to leave his side, the whole gang getting together again - was for one reason and one reason only. To find Mother. That was it, that was the sole purpose of everything he had done for the past weeks. And now he had almost become too bent on beating his father, too obsessed with maintaining a strong front, too scared to consider what his next move should be. 

He shouldn’t let his fear of the past tangle his future any longer. After all, he had already stood up to his father - even if that had turned out to be a failure. Facing Azula couldn’t be worse, not when he had already surpassed her. There was no point in lessening his chances of a better future in order to avoid additional confrontations. The conflict was already there, breathing down on his neck with every passing thought. 

“So… What do you suggest we do now?” He managed to mutter. 

“Talk to her,” Iroh replied. “Just tell her the truth. I have a feeling she might be interested in the information about your mother.”

“You know her,” Ty Lee declared. “She might be unpredictable but you know her. Just say the right things and she’ll listen.”

“Uncle, this was your idea,” Zuko rushed to say. “Come with me.”

“No.” It was clear the old man didn’t intend to do so. “Your sister barely holds any affection for me. It would only hurt our cause.” 

“Are you saying I should go alone?”

Iroh shook his head. “That’s not my choice to make. Though you should be careful not to overwhelm her.” 

Who could come with him? That was certainly an interesting question. He was sure he didn’t want to go on his own yet any other presence could potentially disturb her. A part of him was still hesitant about the whole idea. 

Katara slowly raised her voice. “I’ll go if you want me to.”

Zuko lifted up his sight. If there was someone he needed by his side, it ought to be her. The person who had stayed with him right from the start of his search. Of course, he wanted her to go with him. Especially considering it was the two of them who had originally learned the story of his mother. 

“You could help me explain everything to her,” he said as his lips twitched into a soft smile. “Thank you, it would be very helpful.” 

The rest of them exchanged a couple of looks before Aang spoke. 

“Zuko, we would all go if you needed us to,” the Avatar said. “But we understand it would probably be too much for Azula.” 

“Thanks to all of you, really.” His words were more than sincere. “It means the world to me that you’ve decided to come all the way here just to support me.”

“Spirits buddy, don’t even mention it,” Sokka replied. 

“Yeah, we’re staying until your mom is safe and sound back home,” Toph proclaimed as she nodded in approval. 

“Now, tell us,” Suki prompted him to continue. “Which ones of us should talk to Azula?”

“Aang, you’re good with conversations.” Zuko looked at his friend. “Would you join us?”

The boy smiled in return. “I’ll do my best to keep things peaceful and civilized.”

“Mai, Ty Lee, you know Azula as good as I do. I could use your help, though there’s no need for both of you to come.” 

The two girls exchanged a look. Mai has a fiery glance in his eyes, full of determination. Meanwhile, Ty Lee seemed a little more hesitant.” 

“I’m not sure Azula would love to see either of us there…” Ty Lee whispered.

“Well, I’m coming,” Mai stated. “I’m not afraid of her anymore.”

“Fear is not a bad thing!” Something switched in Ty Lee’s expression as she raised her voice. “Zuko, I’m coming too, even if it is to stay out of the room. I won’t be left behind, not when it’s your safety we’re talking about.”

“Ty, she’ll probably be in a straitjacket,” Katara intervened. “That’s how they do things at the Medical Center.”

“Still, I can stay out of the room and chi-block her if necessary.” The acrobat's voice was filled with resolution. 

“So it’s decided,” Iroh resolved. “Zuko, Katara, Aang, and Mai will go ahead and talk to her. Ty Lee, you’ll guard the exit.” 

“Tomorrow we’ll head to the Psychiatric Guard then,” Zuko settled. “Remember, if any of you needs anything or comes up with a better plan, come barging on my door at midnight, I don’t mind.”

“Now shouldn’t we all go to sleep?” Iroh suggested, holding a fatherly tone in his voice. “You must be well-rested.”

Uncle was right, sleep was much needed considering what task they were about to face. At least that's what Zuko desperately needed. Though he wasn’t sure if he would be able to get any rest. He hadn’t faced his sister since before they’d left for Ba Sing Se. And she wouldn’t be exactly happy to see him. Truth be told, there was nothing else for him to do except wait. Wait and think about the right thing to say. 

* * *

The Psychiatric Guard had to be the most disheartening wing in the entire Medical Center. There was a reason Zuko hadn’t been able to set foot in there for so long. It terrified him. It broke his heart to have to see his sister like that, even with all the wrong she had done to him. She was still his family. And the way she had crumbled apart during their Agni Kai only served as proof of her humanity. 

Still, forgetting about how dangerous Azula was would be a stupid move. That’s why he had made sure she was kept locked in her room for most of the day and maintained in a straitjacket at all times. She was volatile, and that was a risk the Fire Lord couldn’t afford to take. 

Once the five friends were at the entrance of her room, Zuko took a moment to breathe. It was weird, standing there about to tell Azula about their mother. Not to mention the other kind of emotions that kept clouding his judgment. But it was not the time for feelings. Not at all. He needed to show himself as confident as possible. 

“I’ll stay here, watching through the window,” Ty Lee stated. “Wave your hands if you need me to come in.” 

“Alright, will do,” Zuko replied, grateful for her presence there even after everything his sister had put her through. “Are you three ready?”

Katara, Mai, and Aang nodded in approval. It was time. 

He opened the door, clenching his teeth as he braced himself for the view. Azula was laying in a white bed, her straitjacket keeping her from moving at all. She looked empty, with her eyes lost somewhere up in the ceiling as she hummed herself some nonsense. Or a threat. Perhaps both. Whatever the case, she flinched as soon as she saw them entering the space.

“Get out!” she screamed. “Get out, you useless traitor!”

This was going just as expected. Perfect. 

“Azula, we just want to talk to you,” Zuko pleaded, barely with a foot in there. “I promise you’re okay.”

“You’re here to attack me, aren’t you?” She continued with her paranoia. “Apparently it’s not enough for you to have me trapped in here.”

Mai stormed into the room, her eyes seemed on fire. “Azula, calm down. We simply need to have a few words.”

As soon as she saw her old friend, the fire princess made a mischievous smirk. It was a remarkable shift in composture. “Well, well, well. Hello, my dear ‘friend’. Enjoying some time with my big brother?”

Before any of them had a chance to respond, Katara stepped into the quarters. Aang rapidly followed. And at that moment it was as if Azula had come alive again. 

“Oh, wow. I’m almost flattered,” she chuckled. “All of you here just to see me?”

“Yes,” Zuko confirmed. “And we need you to ask a few questions to our father.”

“I’m sorry, am I missing something? I thought you had Father locked in a pretty little cell… just like you did with me.”

“Perhaps if you let us talk we’ll be able to tell you some more,” Katara intervened. Her tone was deadly severe. 

“Here comes the lovely water peasant again.” Azula’s eyes shimmered with amusement. “You’re still not feeling guilty for having Zuzu take a lightning bolt for you?”

Katara clenched his fists, and it became obvious just how much it hurt for her to remember the adrenaline of that day. 

Before she could reply anything, Zuko decided to speak. “Look, it’s about Mother.”

That seemed to be enough to put Azula on the edge once again. “Did she send you here?” Her voice trailed off in desperation. “Mai, how did she get you to stop fearing me?” 

Zuko tried to bring her back to reality. “No, listen-”

“This was all her doing!” she cried out. “She helped you throw me in here and take the throne away from me!”

Aang took a few steps forward, getting closer to Azula’s bed. “Nothing is your mother’s doing. You should listen to what your brother has to say.”

“Really?” An intrigued frown clouded her face. “And why is that, Avatar?”

“Because I can tell you what happened to Mother,” Zuko declared. “Some of it, at least.”

“Zuzu, are you serious? Because I’m not sure if I believe in your ability to uncover that kind of truth.”

“We are  _ all _ serious,” Katara said, a firm look in her eyes. “Zuko and I traveled a long way to find out what we are about to say. Unless you’re not interested…” 

“Wait!” Azula shouted. “I’m listening.”

Mai shook her head. “First, you have to promise you’ll help us.”

“You have to promise us you’ll talk to Ozai,” Aang explained. 

“Fine.” The princess rolled her eyes. “I’ll cooperate if your information proves to be of any worth.”

“Then pay attention,” Zuko said, searching for a chair to sit in. “Because what we are about to tell you is a very well-kept secret.”

He proceeded to tell her everything. Starting from his first talk about the subject with his father and ending right with the chat he had shared with Uncle and his friends the day before. The only detail he kept to himself was all about the anti-war movement. There was no need to disturb his sister with that at the moment. Katara chipped in a couple of times, to add her input on what they had learned back in Gaipan. For the first time in what seemed ages, Azula didn’t interrupt him. Not once. Of course, she made her fair share of grimaces as he spoke. But she kept quiet until she noticed he was finished. 

“So our dear Mother ended up in a village in the Earth Kingdom?” The princess frowned. “Living like any other peasant?” 

“She worked as a Master Herbalist," Zuko clarified. “But yes, she lived that way for some time”

“Ha!” Azula acquired an insane look in her eyes. “Then how do you explain how she convinced you all to stop fearing me?”

Mai let out a sigh. “Azula, that never happened.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, dear,” she said with a vicious grin. “Now, Zuzu said she left Gaipan?”

“Yes,” Katara explained. “She left saying she would return to her hometown, that her family was waiting for her.” 

“Well, I certainly wasn’t,” Azula complained. “Why would I need a mother who thought I was a monster?”

“That’s not the point!” Zuko blurted out, feeling his patience running thin. “The point is we have to find her! Because something strange must’ve happened to her.”

“Maybe she got tired of how lousy you were as a firebender, Zuzu.”

“Azula, you promised you would cooperate,” Aang warned her. 

“Aren’t you such an adorable peacemaker?” she scoffed. Though her expression quickly became more serious. “I don’t understand. What do you want from me?”

“Father won’t tell me anything,” the Fire Lord explained. “We need you to talk to him, ask him about Mother’s hometown. Just find out everything you can about her, about her past, about what he did to her after the banishment. All of it.”

“So now I’m supposed to be your spy?” A small laugh escaped her mouth. “I’m touched by your high hopes in me, brother.” 

“Come on, Azula,” Mai pushed. “Don’t you miss the outer world?”

“It would only be going from one cell to another…” Azula hesitated. “No. I have one or two conditions first.” 

“What?” Zuko exclaimed. “Are you for real?”

“Zuzu, I’m the most real thing you’ve ever seen,” she chuckled. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

“What do you want, Azula?” Katara rushed to ask. 

“First, I want to go,” she stated. “Whenever you’ll go to find Mother, I’ll go with you. That’s unnegotiable.” 

Zuko repressed a very frustrated sigh. “Why?” 

“Because ever since you put me in here… Not a day has gone by that I haven’t wondered what exactly happened to our dear mother.” Her glance seemed overtaken by delusion. “You’re not the only one in need of answers.”

“Fine, you can come,” Zuko agreed. “What else?”

“What?” Katara’s voice shaken. “Zuko, are you sure?”

He looked her in the eye. “Yes, I’m sure. We’ll be fine, don’t worry about it.”

“How cute!” Azula laughed. “Seems like that lightning bolt got you concerned, dear. be careful not to get your hopes too up, Zuzu is not that good at anything.” 

“Azula, that’s not helping your cause.” Aang seemed to be determined to get the whole thing over with as efficiently as possible. 

“Alright, alright,” she complied. “Sorry, Zuzu.”

“Just tell us what else do you want.”

“I want you to get me out of this place,” she stated. “You would love having me in the Palace.”

“You can’t be serious,” Mai said, eyes wide open. 

“Oh, I am,” Azula chanted. “Now, do you want my help or not?”

“What if I tell you I’ll consider it?” Zuko asked. 

“That’s enough for me,” she agreed. “Consider yourself a boy with a lucky deal.”

“Then get ready to get out of here right now,” he replied. “Because we have no time to lose.”

“I’ll let Ty Lee know so we can alert the nurses,” Aang offered. 

“Ty is here?” Her eyes were glowing with anticipation. “Maybe she’ll tell me how Mother convinced her of being so bold out of a sudden.”

“Whatever you say.” Mai rolled her eyes. “Just don’t do anything stupid.”

“Don’t you worry,” Azula grinned. “I might just be on the mood to behave today.” 

As Zuko got up from the chair he had been resting on, his head threathened to start hurting with extreme urgency. He just hoped the plan would work. Even if that meant traveling with Azula for Agni knew how long. For now, it was their best move. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, a lot happened, huh? We all knew I just couldn't resist getting the gang back together for such a compelling cause. Writing Azula felt so challenging at first but I ended up absolutely loving it. I hope I did her justice and that you enjoyed this update!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! As ever, feedback is always very appreciated <3  
> Until the next update!


	30. Handle This

The light was as dim as ever at the Capitol City Prison. It had to be one of the most lugubrious places Katara had visited. Even just by standing in front of the building, it seemed inevitable to get caught up amidst its sinister aura. As she walked down the halls next to the others, her senses sharpened to pay attention to all the details, every last crack on the walls, every stain on the floor… To even think about how her father had spent some time locked in there made her shudder. Though those days were in the past. She had to keep moving forward, one step across that prison at a time. At least it seemed easier with a certain firebender by her side. 

“I can’t believe we’re actually doing this,” Zuko whispered, reluctant to walk any further down the corridor. “Letting those two alone together…”

“But we are.” Katara gave him a soft pad on the back. “Now let’s get moving, you wouldn’t want Azula to complain about having to wait for you.”

“For Agni’s sake, she’s barely a few feet ahead.” His voice showed just how uneasy he must’ve been feeling. Still, he continued walking. “And Toph seems to be handling her pretty well.” 

Not only Toph. Everyone else had accompanied them to the prison. Of course, they would stay completely out of Ozai’s sight, but just by having them near things appeared to be more under control. Even Iroh, whose relationship with Azula left much to wish for, was determined not to leave them alone as they escorted the once fire princess to her father’s cell. 

Though Toph seemed resolved not to give the girl any room for mistakes. With her sharp remarks and lie-detecting abilities, she was bound to drive Azula crazy if needed. For now, the earthbender seemed happy enough with staying next to her at all times. Even if she was on a straitjacket and carried by a wheelchair. To Toph, no precautions were enough. 

So Katara couldn’t help but chuckle when Zuko pointed it out. “Well, that pair is one heck of a ticking bomb.”

Before the Fire Lord had any chance to react with anything other than a light smirk, Aang turned around to face them. 

“Katara, Zuko, everything okay?” the Avatar asked, his eyes shimmering with the luminescence coming from the torchlights. 

“Yeah, Aang, don’t worry,” she replied, shooting Zuko an  _ ‘I told you so’  _ kinda look. “We’re picking up the pace now.” 

“What?” he asked, rushing down the corridor. “Can’t I be nervous about this insane plan?”

“The plan is not insane, your uncle put a lot of thought into it. You’ll see how it works,” she reassured him. “And it’s nothing, really.” Her lips twitched into a soft yet unconcealable tender smile. “Just the look on your face when Aang called us. Everything will be fine, I promise you.”

Or at least that’s what she hoped. With no time to waste, the group stopped by the corner that gave way to Ozai’s carefully secured cell. Iroh had led the way ever since they’d left the Royal Palace. But now it was Zuko’s time to get ahold of the situation. 

“Can’t believe you make me talk to Father here in this morbid prison cell,” Azula complained, looking for his brother’s eyes. “This is undignified of a princess! Oh, how Mother must be laughing right now.”

“Azula, keep your voice down or he’ll hear us,” Zuko warned her. 

“He’ll heat what?” she exclaimed as she started to seem completely out of herself. “Zuzu, are you scared Father will reprimand you for treating your little sister so poorly?” 

Iroh tried to contain her. “Niece, it is in your best interest to be smart regarding your current situation. Fighting won’t do you any good.”

“Spirits, old man, someone’s feeling generous today!” She was on the verge of screaming. “I wonder what you’ll do if I keep acting this way, maybe pour me a cup of tea?”

“Alright, Azula, that was enough,” Katara intervened. 

“Ha, why do  _ you  _ keep interfering?” The princess started fighting her restraints. “Nobody made you the team leader!” 

Katara had to suppress a scandalous sigh. What on earth was Azula talking about? She was  _ not _ acting in such a way. All she was doing was barely standing up for Zuko and everyone else including herself. Though what if she was acting as a leader? Weeks of traveling and scheming had to be enough to allow her to act responsibly for the cause she had been working towards so badly. In a way, she was entitled to act as one of the leaders of the team. Because she was indeed one of them. After all, the whole thing had started out with it only being Zuko and her. Agni, that fallen princess had some nerve. 

Before anyone else had a chance to reach, Ty Lee stormed her way to Azula. With a few quick movements, the acrobat rushed to chi-block her former friend. 

“Ty, what are you…?” Mai exclaimed. 

“What did you do?” Azula cried out. “It was enough with this stupid jacket.”

“There was no need,” Zuko mouthed, looking troubled. “She was already contained.”

“I…” Ty Lee hesitated. “We’re all safer this way.”

“Spirits, she saw it coming,” Toph sighed. 

“Azula, how do you feel?” Sokka asked with an unusually serene tone in his voice. “You should really take this as an opportunity to calm down once and for all.”

“How do you think I feel?” Though her words reflected great despair, she had stopped fighting. There was a defeated look in her eyes. “My ‘friend’ just attacked me.”

“Oh, come on,” Suki blurted out. “You’re better than this whining.” 

That seemed to be enough to bring her back to reality. In a split second, her expression transformed from desperate to determined. Still, she kept quiet. 

“You know what you have to do,” Zuko resumed the plan. “Just say whatever you need to in order to get Mother’s hometown location. And try to get as much information out of him.”

“Don’t even dare to mention anything about us,” Iroh reminded her. “That’ll only make your father go silent.”

“Understood,” Azula chanted. “Just remember my terms for doing this.”

“We are all aware of them,” Aang assured her. “A deal is a deal.”

“That’s why first you’ve got to keep your end of it,” Zuko stated. “Now, it’s time.”

The nurse that had maneuvered her wheelchair all the way there started moving her to Ozai’s cell. Soon it was only them, a group of free people alone in a corner of a prison. The perfect scenario for overthinking. Sliding down and resting her back against one of the walls, Katara tried her best not to worry too much. Though it would prove to be almost impossible.

  
  


A little over an hour later, Azula was finally out of Ozai’s cell. Needless to say, the expectations were high. Perhaps a bit too much. As soon as the nurses brought her wheelchair to the corridor, tension-filled the moldy air of the place. The princess had an exhausted but pleased look in her face, which only gave way for more questions to be made. 

“Come on everyone, let’s get out of here,” Iroh rushed them to start walking out of the prison. “We can talk as we exit this place.”

And so they did. None of them seemed willing to waste any more time. 

“Did you get it?” Zuko rapidly asked, nervously stroking next to his sister.

Azula let out a cheeky laugh. “Zuzu, have you really lost all confidence in my abilities?”

Ty Lee didn’t look amused by that behavior at all. “Spirits, Azula, just tell the truth.”

“Ty, Ty, Ty,” the princess chanted. “Not you too.” 

“Come on,” Zuko grunted. “We have a deal.” 

As the group approached the path that would lead them back to the Royal Palace, Katara felt herself becoming increasingly impatient. 

“Azula, why won’t you just say it?” she blurted out, tilting her head to look at the girl. “Or maybe you didn’t get the information…” 

“You’re smart, I’ll give you that,” she talked back. “Yes, I’ve got it,” 

“Are you for sure?” Toph exclaimed.

“I’ve got no reason to pretend otherwise.” 

Mai chuckled. “Excuse us if your reputation precedes you.” 

“Azula always lies,” Aang whispered. His words were quickly met with a comprehensive nod from Iroh.

“If you’re telling the truth then,” Suki objected. “Why don’t you just tell us the name?”

The princess rolled her eyes. “Because I want to make sure you all hold your end of the bargain.” She made a mischievous smile. “Oh, Zuzu, Father told me we shouldn’t have such high hopes for Mother, you know?” 

It was clear from a mile away that the Fire Lord was not comfortable with those words. Even though its meaning seemed extremely vague. 

“What?” His voice showed a considerable amount of exasperation. “And why would I listen to anything he says?”

“Well I don’t know, dear brother,” Azula chanted, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “He said she might be a little of a disappointment, just like you Zuzu.” 

“Don’t you ever shut up?” Sokka spat out.

“Careful there, your wishes might just come true.” A peckish grin took over her face. “Oh, he says to watch your back for trouble too.” 

“Wait, what is she talking about?” Aang made an effort to interfere, though the two siblings had already locked eyes in a dangerous manner. 

“Alright, that’s it,” Zuko yelled, his whole body turning tense. “You’re going to tell us where Mother’s hometown is.  _ Now,  _ Azula.”

“Have you ever been chi-blocked, Zuzu?” Her voice had a sarcastic yet innocent tone to it.

“No.” 

Katara couldn’t help herself. “Azula, what does this have to do with anything?” 

“I don’t even know what on earth she’s saying,” Ty Lee added. 

“Funny thing, you know?” The princess chanted, her eyes moving around in an incessant hassle. “All your joints go soft like they’re made of melted clay.” 

“Wait, I remember that feeling.” Katara had a bad feeling about the situation. 

“Oh, but I haven’t even gotten to the best part yet.” Azula seemed to be more excited than ever. “Then, for just a few moments as your strength comes back to you, you curiously find yourself more flexible than you’ve ever thought possible…” 

_ Oh, no.  _ Katara knew where this was going. She remembered that strange sensation. 

“Zuko, watch out!” Suki screamed.

But Azula had already made her move. Before anyone else had a chance to react, she pulled her arm from the straitjacket. With a bold look in her eyes, she shot a blinding bolt of lighting up in the air. 

“Azula, don’t do this!” Iroh mouthed, a severe tone tainting his voice. 

The fallen princess didn’t listen, making the most out of the moment of confusion. When Zuko shot a burst of fire in an attempt to defend himself from her, she used it to her advantage, having it break up her restraints. 

Katara noticed her running out of the path by the corner of her eye. There was no way she would let her get away. “Guys, she’s heading to the shore!” she warned them before tilting on her heels, determined to catch her. 

Toph stormed off after her. “Spirits, I can’t believe we have to put up with this.”

Zuko was already ahead of them, sprinting after his unstable sister. 

“We said there was no need to chi-block her!” Aang grunted as he followed after them. “That only made her trust in us weaker.”

“I’m sorry,” Ty Lee cried out, already out of breath. “I couldn’t trust her.” 

Though it wasn’t the time for discussions. First, they needed to catch Azula. 

“Oh, no, princess, you’re not getting away,” Toph exclaimed as she put up an earth wall before the runaway. 

“Azula, stop!” Zuko pleaded. “You know there’s only a cliffside in that direction.”

“Please.” Ty Lee looked desperate. “Don’t be reckless.” 

The girl shot another stream of lighting at him. “I don’t need you to find Mother. I don’t need anyone!”

Aang cornered the last bits of the ground around her. “You know you don’t have to do this.” 

“Don’t I?” Azula bitterly laughed. “Because it doesn’t look like it.” 

“What are you going to do, then?” Iroh stood at a more than cautious distance. “You’re smarter than this.”

“Azula, listen.” Katara took a step forward. “Think about your mother.”

“What about her?” She started to crumble apart, tears of rage threatening to start streaming down her cheeks. “I’m the only one who knows where she is! The only one able to find her!” 

“And what good would that bring you?” The waterbender didn’t relent. “If you let Zuko find her too, everyone will recognize your well-doing. He’ll be indebted to you! You could go back to the Palace instead of wasting your days away in a medical wing.”

“Katara…” Zuko whispered, setting his eyes on her. “You’re too close.” 

“What are you saying, Zuzu?” Azula smirked. “Scared I might throw a little lightning at your lovely protégée?”

“Azula, there’s a reason you haven’t,” Katara pointed out. “You wouldn’t be able to escape and that wouldn’t put you in the nicest of positions.” 

“Agni, when did you get that bold?” The princess looked around the area, trying to find an escape route.

“So what will it be?” Zuko questioned. “Finding Mother with us or going back to the Psychiatric Guard?” 

“Promise me you’ll let me free while we search for her. And that you’ll welcome back to the Palace.” She looked ready to shoot more lighting if necessary. Though certain desperation hid behind her eyes. “Swear it in front of the Avatar, in front of everyone. Swear you’ll honor your promise.”

Sokka chuckled. “You can’t be serious.”

“You’ve got no escape,” Mai grunted. 

Though Katara knew she was serious. Deadly serious. And that Zuko was already mowing over his sister’s requests. After all, that had somewhat been the initial agreement. 

Hesitation clouded Zuko’s expression. After a long moment, he finally spoke. “Fine. I’ll comply with your terms as long as you behave. Any slip-up, any hint of betrayal from your side, and the deal are over.” 

“Good, you’ll find me an amusing travel company.” Azula took a step forward, a vicious smile framing her face. “Our dear mother’s hometown is called Hira’a.”

* * *

The place they were looking for was a quiet village located within the Fire Nation. It was located merely a couple of hours away from the Royal Palace. So close yet still kept so far away for a long time. Hira’a, that was the name. It sounded like some sort of chanting, a secret sound to be whispered in the dark. Only now it had finally seen the light. 

The entire group was sitting by the fireplace, deliberating about their next move. With exception of Azula, who had been sent to her former room to calm down while they looked further into the name she had provided them with. How she had managed to get Ozai to talk remained somewhat of a mystery to everyone else. The princess had blamed it all on her charm and bluntly recognized manipulation skills. Though Katara suspected her strange fixation with her mother had something to do with her triumph. Either way, they had gotten what they wanted. That should be enough for a while. 

“I don’t see any room for discussion.” Zuko’s determined voice brought her back to the present. “We are going to Hira’a. That’s all there is to say.” 

“Of course, Zuko,” Katara agreed. 

Toph didn’t stay behind. “Heck yeah, Sparky!”

Iroh seemed more hesitant. “Nephew, you remember you promised Azula she could join you, right?”

“Yes, he did promise,” Aang intervened. “What about it?”

“Traveling with her would only bring more trouble,” Iroh admitted. 

“Uncle, you know I can’t refuse,” Zuko explained, nervousness visible through his eyes. “We have a deal. And I’m a man of my word.”

Iroh slowly shook his head. “Sure you are, but there’s a danger attached to your words right now.”

“I’m not backing down,” Zuko stated, clearly eager to change the subject. “Now, travel arrangements, anyone?”

“Zuko, I hate to be the one to point this out,” Aang blurted out. “But Azula warned us about an opposition.”

“Ozai told you the same thing when you first visited him.” Iroh had a concerned look in his eyes. “Perhaps this is something we ought to worry about.”

“You shouldn’t take that warning lightly,” Suki said. “Who knows the fanatics are capable of? I, for once, have seen it all.”

“Suki is right,” Sokka mouthed. “Your life could be in danger, Zuko. Iroh, yours too, especially if you’re to remain here while we’re gone.”

“Then what could we do about it?” the Fire Lord asked with his hands up in the air. “I can’t just not go, we’ve come too far now.”

“I could stay.”

“What?” The question blurted out of Suki’s mouth. 

Ty Lee raised her voice, firm and steady. “I can stay here. I’m a trained warrior, I can make sure Iroh is okay.”

Iroh smiled, he had a tender look in his eyes. “Are you sure?” 

The acrobat nodded in reply. “I am. We’ve seen what chu-blocking does to Azula, it’s of no use, and I don’t think my presence particularly helps to a calm environment. She still resents me for betraying her.

“Yeah, but we were the ones to fight her from day one,” Toph exclaimed.

Katara agreed. “Yes, Ty, she probably hates me the most.” 

The girl still shook her head in denial. “We can’t risk Iroh’s life. I should stay with him as his personal securityNo.” 

A moment of silence struck the room. 

“Look, here is the truth,” Zuko finally said, rubbing the back of his neck. “There’s no real need for all of us to go, and I cannot ask you to do that. So if any of you would rather stay here or go home, I perfectly understand.”

Mai shifted on her seat, uneasy. “Zuko, I…”

“I know.” His voice echoed across the place. “I could never ask you to, Mai. Still, thank you for taking the time to come here.”

She smiled softly at him. “I can stay until you’ve all left.” 

Wait.” Aang seemed somewhat surprised. “Did I miss something?”

“I’m not going to Hira’a with you guys,” Mai admitted. “That was never the plan for me. Zuko and I agreed on it from the beginning. Just trust us.” 

Well, that was a surprise, and not only for the Avatar. Katara couldn’t say she wasn’t expecting Mai to not want to get too involved, but there was definitely something else there. Something she had missed, a detail she had allowed to slip away from her attention. Truth be told, she didn’t even know why Mai and Zuko had broken up in the first place. The most she knew had to do with some strange incident on a balcony. Which virtually told her nothing about the feelings or reasons of those two. So she was more or less in the dark about that. Great. 

What kind of secret could Zuko and Mai share to explain such a tacit agreement between them? 

“That’s why I’m telling you all,” Zuko said, bringing her back to reality. “You can back down anytime.” 

“We are not doing that,” Sokka assured him. “We’re coming with you to Hira’a.” 

“Indeed.” Suki grinned. “Even if that means traveling with Azula.”

“Oh please don’t even remind me of it,” Toph grunted. “Dealing with her sounds way more complicated than anything we’ve ever tried to accomplish.” 

“We’ll keep her at bay, I promise.” Katara chuckled. 

Aang seemed on board. “And I’ll try to be a good mediator.” 

“Ty Lee, you’re sure you’ll be okay here?” Iroh asked. 

“Absolutely,” she replied with a soft smile. “Though I gotta say I’m a ruthless guard. Suki taught me well.” 

“Iroh, you’ll have the pride of the Kyoshi Warriors looking after you.” The girl cheered. 

“So when are you all leaving?” Mai asked, her eyes shimmering with mysterious grace. 

“Tomorrow morning?” Katara suggested. “We’ve got no time to waste.”

“That’s good for me.” The melting look that Zuko gave her was enough to convince her she was doing the right thing. “Aang, you think we could all go on Appa?” 

“Um, sure?” The Avatar seemed to hesitate for a moment. 

“Hira’a is not so far away.”

“Try to be as undetectable as you can,” Iroh warmed them. “It could cause a fuzz to see all of you there.”

The Fire Lord nodded in agreement. “We should be careful, make sure not to be immediately recognized. We don't know what kind of circumstances Mother could be caught up into.” 

“Of course, we’ll be careful,” Sokka assured. 

“Should we get Azula to join us then?” Zuko inquired. “Make sure she understands our terms?”

“Yes, that's a necessity.” Katara tilted her head. “Let’s bring her in.” 

As Zuko left the room to look for his sister, everyone else took a moment to dissipate their minds from the situation. Iroh made sure the servants brought some good tea whilst the ambiance became a little less severe. 

Though Katara had something she needed to clarify. Standing up from the loveseat she had been resting on, she walked up to where Mai was sitting. Plummeting down onto the couch, she twitched her lips into a soft smile. 

“Hey,” she greeted her. “We haven’t really gotten a chance to catch up.”

‘Um, hi.” Mai looked as if she had seen a turtleduck dance around the salon. “I was just relaxing for a second.”

“You know, it was very nice of you to come all the way here just for a couple of days.”

“Well,” she chuckled. “It’s not like my place is that far away from here.”

“How did you settle in with your aunt?” Katara tried to make her questions seem as natural as possible, even if she didn’t have a clue of what on earth she was doing. “We were all shocked to see you leave so suddenly.” 

“It was fairly easy, I’ve got to admit,” she shrugged. “My aunt and I are very close. And there are some old friends of mine around town. It’s nice to start over.” 

_ Damn it. That doesn’t really tell me anything about what happened between you and Zuko, _ Katara thought, realizing how dumb she was probably coming off as. Questioning a friend over a boy? Post-war drama was a lot duller than she had imagined. Though it was any boy, right? It was Zuko she was curious about. The person who had thrown himself in front of a lighting bolt for her. The one she had shared every minute of the last few months with. It wasn’t that easy not to feel curious about the girl he used to date. 

“Though you were the nicest one out of us all, apparently,” Mai continued. “Leaving the South Pole to embark on such a search all to help Zuko… That’s some sacrifice.” 

Well, it seemed like the tables had turned all of the sudden. Now Mai was the one throwing hints at her. What a perfect outcome. 

“It was the right thing to do,” Katara mouthed, feeling herself adopting a more defensive stand for no apparent reason. “And now we’re all here, so it has proven to be worth it.”

“Mmm,” Mai hummed. “Let’s just hope your trip to Hira’a ends up having the same success.” 

“I’m confident it will,” Katara said with a smile. “It’s good talking, you know? I never really understood why you left Ba Sing Se.” 

“I left because it was the right time to do so,” Mai replied, a strain of bitterness tainting her voice. “The war is over, things are getting back on track. Now we’re caught up on this search, but soon it’ll be over too. We all have to start settling down, think about our future.” 

That was not what Katara was expecting to hear. A simple reasoning for Mai’s motives to leave would have been more than enough. Instead, she ended up with a pressing feeling of having to rush into planning the rest of her life. Though Mai was right, and she had probably spoken out with nothing but good intentions, the world would keep on turning. Nevertheless, it wouldn’t wait for her to take forever deciding what to do with her life. Still, she had time, right? Sokka had assured her of it. 

Finally, she realized she should reply to her friend’s words. “Um, you’re right,” she managed to mumble. “But we still have time. Let’s focus on putting out this fire first, right?”

“Sure.” Mai shot her a suspicious look. “It’s your life after all.” 

Why did she seem to have something else to say?

When Azula finally waltzed into the salon, tension filled the room. It seemed clear Zuko had already explained everything to her, given how calm she looked. Though the rising question now resided on whether or not their journey would be peaceful. Katara had one or two things to say about that but she decided to keep them to herself. If Azula really was willing to put on the effort, then she might as well do the same and  _ try _ to trust her in the slightest. 

“I see you were all here without me,” the former princess chanted as she sat down on one of the loveseats. “Did you miss me?”

“You can’t imagine how much,” Toph whispered in return. 

“Azula,” Zuko said, grimacing at his sister. “As I’ve told you, we’re leaving tomorrow morning and we would like for this trip to be as easygoing as possible.” 

“Zuzu, are you trying to make me promise I’ll be on my best behavior?”

Aang shook his head. “We just want to know if we can trust you.” 

“Well, that’s not as simple,” Suki interfered. “Azula, come on. You’re smart, right? Well, get this: you better not cause us any trouble. I want us to get along but I promise you I won’t let my guard down.” 

“Loud and clear, warrior.” Azula made a playful smirk. “Look, I’m benefitting out of this as much as you are. I just want to have a few words with my dear mother, so until then I can assure you’ll barely even notice I’m there.” 

Toph couldn’t help but chuckle. “Is that supposed to ease my mind?” 

“That’s your call to make.” Azula shrugged. “Ty, Mai, so sorry to hear you won’t be joining us.”

The two girls exchanged a preoccupied look. It seemed evident that somewhere in the corner of their minds Azula still pushed them to the edge. 

“Azula, our place is here,” Ty Lee explained. “And Appa would not be able to carry us all.”

“Yeah, we’re good,” Mai stated, a strain of severeness tainting her voice. “Thank you, though, for the concern. I’m sure your trip will go nicely.” 

The princess suppressed an exasperated smirk, though she did make a condescending smile. “Anytime,  _ friend.” _

“Alright, then I guess we’ve come to an agreement.” Zuko rushed to intervene, visibly worried about an argument coming up. “I’ll make sure everything is ready for our departure.”

“For now, I would suggest you all get some rest, attend dinner, and have a good night’s sleep.” Iroh looked at them all with great tenderness. “It was quite an eventful day.”

He was right. It had been a long, tiring day. And an even longer tomorrow expected them. Taking one night to clear their heads wouldn’t hurt. 

* * *

Night had fallen over the Royal Palace. Only the sound of the cricket’s chirping and the breeze sweeping against the gardens brought some liveliness to the evening. 

In her room, Katara was getting ready to call it a day, feeling worn out by a variety of different emotions. She was sitting in front of her small mirror, undoing her braided hairstyle. Just by rushing her fingers through her ebony locks, the multitude of concerns that usually ran through the back of her mind seemed to slowly dissipate. 

Until a knock on her door made her hyper-attentive once again.

“Who is it?” she asked as she dragged herself to her feet. 

“Katara? It’s me.” 

“Aang?” She slammed the door wide open. “What are you doing here this late?”

“I’m sorry… I didn’t realize you would be getting ready for bed.” He made a nervous grin. “I won’t take long. Can I come in?”

“Um, sure.” Katara let him through, sitting on her bed as she gestured him to sit on the chair she had been resting on. “What is it?”

“Well, I… I just - You know how we ended things back at Ba Sing Se?”

“Yes, Aang, I remember.” She was not liking the way the conversation was going. The last thing she needed was to be reminded of that awful conversation. 

“I’m sorry. I rushed into thinking you didn’t love me just because you didn’t want to restore the Air Temples with me,” he said as he moved his feet from one side t another. “I shouldn’t have told you to go our separate ways.” 

_ No. Just… Don’t, Aang. Please, you won’t like the truth.  _

“It’s okay,” she rushed to say. “We’re getting alone just fine anyways, and my stand on the restoration project hasn’t changed.” 

“But we are both here.” His voice started to shake. “Right now, we’re here together. Can’t we pick up from where we left off?” 

“No.”

Katara didn’t have to think about it twice. She didn’t love Aang, not in  _ that _ way at least, it had never been the case. Now she was more sure of it than ever. On top of it all, her heart was with someone else. Someone who was the reason they were all reunited in the first place. 

“What?” Aang looked as if he had been hit by an entire storm. “But why?”

“Because you were right in splitting us apart,” she slowly said. “We aren’t right together.”

“But, Katara… I still love you.”

“Well, I don’t.” The words had come out of her mouth before giving her any chance to think about what to say. Though it didn’t take long for her to regret them. “Aang… I’m sorry it has to be this way.” 

“Did I do something wrong?” He seemed defeated. 

“It’s not like that.” She looked at him with misty eyes. “I just… Don’t feel the same way about you.”

“But how did your feelings change out of a sudden?” 

“They didn’t,” she admitted. “I just didn’t come to terms with it until recently.” 

His face went pale. “Oh, I see.” 

“You’ll find someone, I’m sure of it. I still love you very much... just not like that.”

“Katara… Is there someone else?” His words came out like a whisper. 

A frown took over her face. “Why would you ask that?” She felt her heart racing on her chest. How could he know? 

He just shook his head. “Is there?” 

A beat of silence filled the room. There was a multitude of things unsaid. 

“I think that gives me an answer…” Aang mouthed. 

“What?” Katara rushed to exclaim. “ _ No! _ That’s not even the point, Aang!”

“Alright, I’m sorry I overstepped.” He stood up, ready to leave her alone. Just like that night already weeks ago. “I understand, I really do. I just hope we can keep on being friends after this.”

“Of course.” She rushed to open the door for him, unsure of where to stand. “Let’s carry on as we were just managing to do.”

Aang nodded in return. “Goodnight, Katara.”

“Goodnight.” Her words got lost in a sigh as his friend disappeared into the hall.

She wasn’t sure why she was feeling so uneasy. After all, this hadn’t been the tremendous discussion their last emotional talk had turned into. Still, she felt the need to cry. To scream into the darkness of the night and just let it all out. Because she wasn’t sure for how long she would stand the weight of the unsaid. 

Or, perhaps, scream into the silent darkness wasn’t what she really wanted. Maybe she wanted to talk about her emotions with someone other than a void. Someone whom she could talk about almost everything with. The very reason for all the things she couldn’t say. 

Hurrying across the Palace, Katara knew exactly who that person was. And she was headed straight to him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the title of this chapter comes from the song with the same name by Sum 41. It's a really sappy tune but still wonderful. For some reason, I always kind of knew I wanted that name for these particular events. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this update! As always, thank you so much for reading! Remember comments are always very appreciated <3  
> Until the next update guys!


	31. Little Bit Of Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, first of all, I'm so sorry for the late update! I had two midterms last week so my writing time was forcefully cut short.  
> So I hope this chapter makes up for it! Without further due, I'll let you get right into it!

The last thing Zuko was expecting to hear in the middle of the night before the trip was a desperate knock on his door. Loud and clear, someone needed him. 

He was wide awake the moment the sound echoed across his room. A multitude of thoughts and worries had been preventing him from falling asleep so the noise didn’t disturb him all that much. Though it did manage to surprise him. 

Without thinking about it twice, he put on his robe and rushed to open the door. But the person waiting on the other side of it made his heart skip a beat. 

Loose, messy, and beautiful ebony hair, a captivating aura, and that pair of dreamy blue eyes he had become overly familiar with. It was her. The girl who managed to take up most of his headspace by merely gifting him with a tender smile. 

What was she doing there at those hours with such an anguished and eager look on her face?

“Katara?” Zuko dared to whisper. “Is everything okay…?”

“Not really.” She stormed into the room, shaking her head. “I’m just… I knew it was bound to happen. Damn it, I called it weeks ago.”

He closed the door behind him, carefully following her footsteps. “Wait, explain. What happened?”

“Well…” She sat on top of his bed, tugging the bedsheets as she let out a sigh. “Aang came to see me, just moments ago.” 

Hearing those words, Zuko felt a lump on his throat. He knew what he was supposed to ask her next. Still, he felt terrified. 

“What did he want?”

“He wanted to see if we could get back together.” Her eyes became a little mistier. “He asked me if we could pick up from where we left off at Ba Sing Se.” 

_ I knew it, _ he thought,  _ I let go of my one and only chance. _ Aang’s move didn’t come as a shock to him. Deep down, the possibility had always been there. After all, Katara had been dating his friend while he was still trying to salvage his relationship with Mai. Why would it be any different now that they were all back together? The days of unspoken intimacy and long embraces could have very well come to an end. It was no longer just the two of them. No longer those evenings admiring the sunsets and laughing amidst the snow. No longer those nights of meaningful conversations and sleeping close to each other. In a split of a second, it could all be gone. Obsessing about his father, saddening for his mother, and worrying about his sister, Zuko had witnessed those days slowly beginning to fade away. 

Unless all those fears were solely on his mind. 

Again, he felt scared to even ask. One possible answer to the question he was about to make caused him a terrible deal of anxiety. “And? Are you two…” 

“No.” Katara shook her head, her voice barely a whisper. “I told him the truth. Unfiltered and unsweetened. He might as well hate me right now.” 

“Hey, don’t even say that. Aang could never hate you.” He leaned closer to her, suppressing the urge to tug her into his arms. “What truth could be so terrible?”

A part of him felt guilty for wanting to know more. Though he couldn’t help it. He cared about her with every fiber of his being. Of course, it troubled him not knowing what she meant with such an enigmatic statement. 

“That… That I just don’t feel that way about him. I don’t think I ever really did.” The words blurted out of her mouth, giving away a desperate need to be honest about it. 

A beat of silence found its way into the room. Sitting on the bed, the space between them seemed made of infinite little fragments of different words, feelings, truths, and doubts. There was a certain solemnity to that moment, a silent realization of what had just been said. Because it wasn’t something that could be taken lightly, on the contrary, it felt as if a lightning bolt had struck them both. Quietly but nonetheless shocking. 

Zuko had to blink multiple times to make sure it wasn’t all some kind of strange late-night delusion. When his eyes finally met hers, he was surprised to find a hint of relief shimmering through them. The feeling was mutual. Though he didn’t wish for it to show, he also felt relieved to hear she wasn’t getting back together with Aang. It was a selfish but honest thought.

“Katara…” he mumbled, unsure of what to say. Nothing seemed right enough. “That’s perfectly okay, you know? We can’t force our feelings to be a certain way… It’s just not possible, trust me on this one.”

“Is that what truly happened...” A strain of hesitation was detectable in her voice. “Between you and Mai?”

“You mean if one of us didn’t feel the same way?” 

She nodded in response, her gestures ever so careful to match the ambiance created by their own confessions. 

It wasn’t his preferred question. There was too much at stake to bluntly tell the complete truth to her. How to even explain without giving away the role she had played in all of it?

“Well, yeah. That was exactly what happened,” Zuko admitted as he let out a confused sigh. “Deep down, I think it was mutual. But it was me who realized it first, little by little, noticing we just didn’t belong. When we started dating I was trying to become someone else, starving for some normalcy after years in banishment. After we ended the war… I guess I felt free to be myself, to feel whatever I wanted. And the connection just wasn’t there anymore.” 

Katara kicked off her slippers and sat cross-legged on the bed, her elbows resting on top of her knees. “But you two seem to get along just fine so quickly… I’m not sure Aang would be able to get over our conversation just like that.” There was still a hint of sorrow on her voice. 

Why would they be risking a fallout so quickly? It surprised him, seeing her so unsure of something of that nature. And it made him even more eager to know. “Why? What really happened?” 

“Aang was so hurt, Zuko. I’ve never seen him that sad, that defeated. And there I was, standing in front of him, knowing I’m the cause of his despair…” She shook her head as her voice broke down. “I didn’t even take a second to think about my words, to consider how it would make him feel. I know him asking me to be together now was his mistake, but I still feel guilty. Because he even asked me…” 

In between her misty eyes and the desperation on her voice, Katara stopped herself from saying anything else. She just kept tugging at the bedsheets, lowering her sight to avoid his intrigued gaze. Something had to be the cause of her sudden silence. 

Zuko couldn’t stand such uncertainty any longer. “What did Aang ask you, Katara?”

She tilted her head to look at him, uneasiness written all over her face. “You know what? I was shocked as soon as I heard his words.” Her lips twitched into an embittered smile before she rushed to continue. “I’m not even sure why he made that stupid question, it wasn’t like I ever did anything to make him consider such a thing… Honestly, it’s unfair of him to need some ulterior motive for me to just not feel the same way about him… Why couldn’t he leave things alone? It was all said and done, no reason to dwell on it anymore. But, no, he kept asking, and I kept being as blunt as possible. Now I have no clue what on earth he must be thinking… Oh, wait, he’s probably just feeling horrible because I just broke his heart in the least gentle way possible and…”

“Katara,” Zuko interrupted, placing his hand on top of hers in an attempt to calm her down. “I understand, you are not to blame for not reciprocating his feelings. Please, stop beating yourself up about it.”

“But you should have seen the look on his face!” she exclaimed, squeezing his hand. “And Spirits’ know he didn’t trust my answer. Not even for one split of a second.”

He shook his head, desperate to understand. “You realize I still don’t have a clue what you’re talking about, right?

“Right,” she said, grunting as she went back to stare at the bedsheets. “Aang asked me if there was someone else.” Her words had been barely a whisper, rushed and shaky, little fragments of truth. 

Suddenly, time seemed to slow down. Zuko had to make an effort to suppress a gasp of surprise. Because he suspected why she had taken so long to tell him, why she still hadn’t dared to even look at him. There had to be the slightest bit of truth to Aang’s question. 

Moments later, he was still silent while she kept messing with the fabric underneath them.

“And…” It took all of his courage to even venture into speaking that simple word. “Is there... someone… else?”

For an endless instant, it appeared as if Katara had no intention of picking up her sight. She sat there, one hand squeezing his fingers, the other one tugging at the bedspread. No words seemed willing to come out of her mouth. 

Perhaps that truth was not supposed to ever find its way to the light. 

“Zuko…” 

A glimpse of hope, interlaced with months of wishful thinking. Maybe, just maybe, he stood a chance. 

“Yeah?”

Katara lifted her sight to look straight into his golden eyes. Not a single word was yet to be said. Instead, she leaned closer. Little by little, shortening the distance between them. They were barely an inch away from each other, noses almost touching, hearts pounding inside their chests. At that moment, it seemed as if all those fragments of the unspoken slowly began fading away into the night. There was no room left for doubts as she rested her forehead on top of his. 

Then her lips met his. Just as a certainty started to take shape inside his mind. 

_ She feels the same. _

Her hands found its way to his hair, delicately brushing it as she brought him closer. At first, Zuko stood still, barely kissing her back, too focused on soaking up the moment. It was a soft kiss, almost timid. A kiss eager to treasure what had finally happened, what had been dreamt about for weeks. Though he didn’t take long to wrap his arms around her, caressing her back as any space left between them completely disappeared. 

After what felt like ages, Katara pulled away, her fingers still running through his now messy hair. 

“Does this answer your question?” she asked, gifting him with a playful smile. 

He still was in trouble believing his luck. “I’m… I’m that someone else.” Despite his words sounding a little too hesitant, it was more of a blissful statement than a doubtful question. 

She laughed, intoxicating him with the warmth of her breath. “Yes, Zuko. It is  _ you.”  _ And then she scrunched the tip of her nose, chuckling in joy. “It’s you who’s been in my thoughts all day long for months.”

He kissed her forehead, suppressing the urge to scream in euphoria. “Katara, I’ve been wanting to kiss you for longer than you would think of.”

“Then too bad it took us so long,” she mouthed, cupping his cheeks into her hands. “Because I can assure you I’ve been tempted to do it before but…”

“But it seemed too complicated? Too long of a shot that both of us would feel this way? I did just the same.” He placed his hand on top of hers, shivering at the warmth of her touch on his scar. Her thumb brushed against his damaged skin, caressing it with a tenderness he wasn’t all that used to. “And here we are, together at last.” 

“I remember when we danced together back at Ba Sing Se…” A nostalgic grin took over her face. “I resisted it just because I didn’t want my true feelings to show. Spirits, I can’t believe how I ever considered just hiding them.”

Zuko couldn’t help but chuckle. It was amazing to realize that, all along, she had been thinking about him too. “And how do you think Mai ended things between us? She heard me talking to Toph about it, that crazy darer knew. That’s why she made us dance together.”

“Spirits, Toph knows? Why am I not surprised?” Katara let out a soft laugh before turning pale. “Wait, Mai knows too? Oh, Agni, she must have hated me.”

“More like hating me. But she doesn’t hate any of us, in fact, she encouraged me to chase after you.” He planted a soft kiss onto her lips. Definitely something he could never get tired of. “So everything worked out in the end, right?”

“Everything except for Aang… You know we can’t tell him yet, not without finding your mother first.” A strain of bitterness clouded her voice. “Though I’d rather not ruin this moment by stressing about it.”

“And how do we  _ not _ ruin it?” Zuko said with a playful smirk, tugging her closer. “Because we both know we’re leaving tomorrow and that everyone else including my sweet, sweet sister will be there, noticing if we act even the slightest of strange.” 

All he got as a response was one intense kiss - though, really, that was the perfect reply- and the warmth of her hands against his cheeks. He took the liberty to run his fingers through her hair, feeling the way her locks slipped between his fingertips. He had dreamt of that moment, fantasied with the idea of holding her like that. And now he was finally able to do so knowing she felt just the same way. 

Once Katara pulled away for some air, her eyes shimmered against the red hues of the room. “There,” she said. “Just stay close to me. That’s all I need right now.”

“Then come here,” he tugged her in, cuddling up against the pillows that were just behind them. “Because ever since that night at Uton’s house I’ve been missing this feeling.”

She rested her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around his torso as he tenderly stroke her hair. “I still can’t believe we fell asleep on the  _ same bed _ and woke up all tangled into each other but we were still dumb enough to pretend it didn’t mean anything.”

“Everything has a meaning if it’s with you,” Zuko said, tilting his head to bring another light kiss to her lips. “I’m just glad we get to enjoy being together tonight, despite anything else.”

“Mmm,” she hummed, moving her hands to wrap them around his neck. “Me too, this is perfect.”

Zuko only had room for one thought as he shortened the distance between their lips.  _ This is really happening, _ he kept saying to himself, just in case his mind tricked him into believing it was all a dream. After months of chasing after her, hesitating whether or not to act on his feelings, they were finally there together. It had all been very well worth the wait. 

In between soft and more desperate kisses, cautiously familiarizing with their newfound level of proximity, sleep started to cripple its way into their heads. After all, cuddling together all night seemed just like the ideal plan. Though they did their best to resist the tiredness that invaded them both. It was such a timeless instant, a perfect start to the journey they were about to embark on. And they secretly wanted it to last forever. 

All those words, all those doubts and feelings they had hidden for so long seemed to fall in place. The space between them was no longer made of hesitation and concealed truths, instead, an overwhelming warmth took that place. Nothing could change the happiness of knowing the other one felt the same. That alone was enough to ease their minds. 

With the dimmed light coming through the windows and the cricket’s chirping as the only accompanying melody to the blissful revelation of their true emotions, the two of them embraced the uncertainty of the future together. 

Finally, the weight of the unsaid had been lifted off their shoulders. 

* * *

A sunny morning gifted the soon to be travelers with just the ambiance they needed to embark on their search. Everyone was already at the courtyard, soaking up the fresh air and checking on the last details before departing. 

Zuko, on the other hand, was still a little dizzy, disoriented as he stumbled through the garden overseeing the preparations. He felt as if his heart might just explode if Katara smiled at him one more time. Just that tender glance was enough to send him in the most joyful of spirals.

They had woken up together with the first rays of sunshine, just like when they stayed at Uton’s house. Only this time it was all that much sweeter, knowing how badly they had wanted a moment like it for so long. Though Katara had to rush back to her room before anyone noticed her absence. Still, even sneaking around felt like the tenderest thing to do. This new turn in their relationship was, for the moment, their unique secret. And Zuko was more than thrilled to figure out where it would take them. 

In between his accidental daydreaming, he noticed someone approaching him from the corner of his good eye. 

“Hey,” Mai said, making a light smile. “Feeling ready to go?”

“As ready as I could be,” he replied, shrugging. “Thanks again for coming all the way here.”

“You understand why I’m not going with you guys, right?”

“Mai, please, of course, I understand.” A nervous grin took over his face. “You have your own life to get back to. We’ll be fine, I promise. And we’ll keep you updated.” 

“You seem a little off today, pre-trip jitters?”

Agni, she still knew him well. Why not tell her the truth? After all, that had been his undoing the first time around. 

“Well…” Zuko rubbed the back of his neck. “Feeling up to keep a secret?”

“Me?” She grimaced in surprise. “You really are strange today, huh? Go on then.”

“So… Katara and I kissed,” he said as he felt silly for demonstrating that much excitement. He was the Fire Lord about to go on some classified search… Yet he was also just a boy feeling romantic. He had a right to be both, didn’t he? “Last night, um, yeah. So I think - I think you were right all along.”

Why on earth was he telling this to his ex again? Suddenly he felt a little out of place. 

“Spirits, so that finally happened,” Mai shook her head before gifting him with a cheeky smirk. “Well, good for you Zuko. I do appreciate it when you tell me I’m right.”

“You’re not upset aren’t you?” A strain of culpability clouded his voice. “I just thought I’d be honest about it from the start this time.” 

“I’m not going to cry over you again, alright? Don’t flatter yourself that much,” she chuckled. “I’m not upset and I like that you’re being honest. I’m still happy for you, silly, I really am.”

“Thank you, Mai. I’m glad to have you as a friend.” 

“Come on, don’t get sentimental on me now,” she chanted, elbowing him on the ribs. “Let’s get you all ready to leave.”

Despite her brushing over the emotional bits, Zuko knew they would be just fine. “Right, we better get ready.”

  
  


Rounding everyone up for their departure was a little tougher than expected. Especially taking into consideration that Azula was now part of the traveling team. 

The former princess seemed a lot calmer than the last time they had all been together. Zuko had taken the time that morning to visit her before breakfast and go over the details of their trip. Though he had dedicated more to making sure she wouldn’t just burst in anger at any given moment than to get all technical about their upcoming route to Hira’a. Azula seemed to understand her part in all of it, so he felt apprehensively safe. Still, he knew carefulness was a requirement in order to make their truce work. 

By the time the minimal belongings they had decided to take with them were placed on top of Appa, mostly food and extra clothes, the sun was already up in the sky marking the proximity of midday. 

“I guess we should get going,” Zuko said, standing next to Katara and Sokka. “We wouldn´t want it to get any later.” 

“Are you sure you have everything you need?” Iroh asked, ever so fatherlike. 

“Yeah, we’ll be alright,” Sokka assured. “We’ve got plenty of food for the night.”

“You´ll stop by the Lun Yang islands then?” Ty Lee questioned. 

“Appa will need a rest,” Aang replied, padding softly on the head of his friend. “And so will us, to be honest.”

Zuko had tried to figure the Avatar’s expression all morning. He didn’t look exactly sad yet, knowing what had happened last night, it was clear he had been better. His usual enthusiasm seemed a little toned down. 

“In the morning we’ll leave for Hira’a,” Katara added with a soft smile. “And there we’ll search everywhere.”

“See? You three can sleep well at night knowing we’re safe,” Azula chanted, looking at Iroh, Mai, and Ty Lee. “Everything is planned out to the very last detail.” 

“Thank you, Azula,” Mai said, biting her lip to contain a more sarcastic reply. “I’m confident you’ll keep us updated.”

“Oh, of course.” 

“Well, shall we?” Zuko intervened. “It’s already kind of late.” 

“Let’s go,” Suki rushed to give Ty Lee a warm hug. “We’ll see you once we get back.” 

“Remember to keep a low profile,” Iroh warned them. “Wear the hoods I know you all have and don’t do anything silly.” 

“Yeah, yeah, we’ll be great,” Toph shrugged. “I’ll keep them at bay.”

“We’ll be here guarding the palace in the meantime,” Ty Lee reassured them. 

“And I’ll be waiting for your news,” Mai added. 

“So… This is goodbye once again,” Sokka mouthed. “I’ll miss you three again.” 

“Come on, boomerang guy,” Toph gave him a gentle push. “It’s not like you’re going right back to the South Pole.” 

“Alright, let’s do this,” Katara hopped on top of Appa before waving. “Azula, get over here.”

“Uncle, Mai, Ty,” the princess said, gifting them a mischievous half-smile before joining the others. “See you.”

Zuko stayed by his uncle’s side for one last tender embrace. “Thank you for staying here.”

“Just take care for me, okay?” Iroh said. “Beware of your sister and keep them all safe.”

“I will, Uncle, I promise.”

And with those final words, the Fire Lord hopped on top of Appa, landing right next to Katara. 

“Ready?” She smiled. “Come on Appa, yip yip.”

“Yip yip, buddy,” Aang followed. 

“So this is how you always ran away so easily, huh?” Azula observed, grimacing as the bison lifted them up in the air. “A practical approach, I see.” 

“Try not to freak us out like this again, Princess,” Toph warned her. “As Twinkle Toes would say: we like to start our journeys with a more upbeat attitude.” 

“That’s right!” Sokka exclaimed, putting his arm around Suki. “Zuko already knows the drill.”

“Yeah,” he complied, rolling his eyes. “We all love that upbeat attitude.” 

“My bison, my rules,” Aang said, causing them all to burst into laughter. 

“Alright,” Azula frowned. “If Zuzu can do it then I guess I’ll do it even better.” 

Katara shot Zuko an exhilarating look. “Not quite the answer I was hoping for… But I guess it works as well.” 

“To Hira’a it is,” Suki chuckled. “And what a crew we have up here.” 

The group was already up in the skies, met by the warmth of the sun. 

Zuko took a moment to look around, staring at the view and his friends. For the first time in days, he felt truly hopeful. Excited for what they could find at that little town they were heading to. Perhaps that would finally mean a joyful and easy end to their search. 

Though there, surrounded by those he loved amidst an eternity of blue, gray, and yellow hues, he allowed himself to just breathe. They wouldn’t get there until one more day. A day he had the choice on how to spend it. Obsessiveness or hopefulness, it was entirely up to him. And he knew what he preferred to feel. 

“Yeah,” he sighed, staring into Katara’s gentle blue eyes. Agni, just the sight of her made everything seem brighter. With her, now knowing she felt the same way, he could take on the world. “To Hira’a it is.”

That late-morning, with the memory of the last night still burning in the back of his mind, Zuko allowed himself to feel a little optimism. The time had come to dive right into the uncertain. He felt ready, at last. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes. They. Kissed. Finally. Oh Agni. Heck. Yes. 
> 
> I took so long to write that first kiss scene because I needed it to be absolutely perfect. I hope I managed to get it right! Aahh, I just love these two so much, seeing them together brings me joy. 
> 
> I really hope you enjoyed this chapter!!! Please, don't hesitate to tell me what you think of it, I love hearing from you guys!   
> Until the next update! (I promise it won't take so long) <3


	32. Frame Of Mind

If there was one thing Katara wasn’t expecting in the middle of all the craziness she had endured for over a year now, it was to find herself traveling across the Fire Nation, with Azula by her side, right after kissing her brother, the day after rejecting the boy from the ice. 

Post-war drama just kept getting more and more curious. 

The first day of traveling had turned out surprisingly fine. Despite the occasional bickering between Azula and, well, everyone, and Sokka and Toph’s complaints about how they should’ve packed more food, everything appeared to be running smoothly. Not much about the cause of their trip was talked about during their path to the Lun Yang Islands, though it seemed like the right thing to do. They all knew why they were there, on the move, trying to lay as slow as possible. There was nothing that wrong with striving to preserve a cheerful ambiance while they still had the chance. And Spirits knew they needed that positivity. 

Katara had tried to juggle between the jitters the trip caused her, the happiness she felt due to her situation with Zuko, and the remorse she sensed every single time Aang looked at her. Closer interactions with her friend had been limited, though nothing suggested there was any considerable animosity between them. Still, she had a feeling Aang wouldn’t be particularly thrilled if he found out about her new closeness to Zuko. A closeness that was bound to remain secret for at least some time, even if they both hated keeping it from the others. 

Though, being honest, Katara wasn’t even all that sure of  _ what _ exactly she and Zuko were hiding from their friends. Because, even if they had confessed to having feelings for one another, there were still a million other things to account for. Everything intertwined with their future seemed like one gigantic blur. The only certainty at the moment was the purpose of their search. And… that they both felt something more than mere friendliness towards each other. That was all that she knew, and not even those aspects of their existence were set in stone. Granted, they hadn’t gotten much of a chance to talk about it, but that didn’t erase the precariousness of the situation. Despite all of it, she wanted her relationship with Zuko to keep evolving in the direction it seemed to be headed to. And she sure was going to put in the effort to make things work. 

The sun had already started to settle down for the day, giving way to a cold nighttime breeze. On the horizon, the islands started to become visible, inviting the group to pick up their pace and wind down for the evening. But the quietness of the late hours had the potential to bring its own share of complications with it, leaving space for more serious thoughts and hidden concerns to come out and wander into the night. 

“Here,” Zuko said, pointing at the piece of land ahead of them. “Let’s just stop in one of those clears by the shore and set up camp there.”

“Alright,” Aang complied. “Appa, come on buddy, rest is near.”

“You are all tired already? Whoa,” Azula grimaced, a bored expression set on her face.

“Appa is exhausted from carrying our weight all day long,” Katara clarified. “Still, we wouldn’t be able to do that much searching around town at these hours.”

Toph smirked. “Unless you wanted to stomp on every door, princess.” 

Azula’s eyes shimmered. But before she got a chance to say anything she found herself being rapidly interrupted.

“Which we will not do, thank you very much,” Suki sighed. 

“Who said anything like that?” Toph fumed. “Come on, let’s go down, I want to eat already.”

“We’re on it,” Sokka said, tilting his head to look down. “Just a second and we’ll be on firm land...”

Once they had unloaded everything from Appa, the group started to set up the camp for the night. Luckily, it didn’t take them long. There was barely anything to begin with: a tent for each one of them and enough food for one or two nights. That was it, just the necessary to get to Hira’a. From there, it was all one huge question mark. 

Not too much later, they were all sitting by a fire graciously lightened up by Azula - despite everyone’s hesitation to let her firebend in the first place - and nibbling on some of the food they had brought with them. 

The ambiance was relaxed despite the circumstances, and the group seized the opportunity to talk about something other than their search. 

“Toph,” Sokka said, taking a bite from one of the dumplings. “So… Any improvements with your parents?” 

“You think?” she grunted. “I mean, all is well and so on, we’re not at war with each other anymore. Still, everything is just so boring with them. Gaoling is not the most exciting place to begin with, and if you mix that with my parent’s way of living… Well, it’s all just one big snore.”

“Do they still hate our guts for luring you away from home?” Aang asked. 

“Buddy, you’re the Avatar.” Zuko seemed astonished. “Why would they still hate you?”

“Because Twinkle Toes over here was fixated on me being his earthbending teacher,” Toph laughed. “Nah, they don’t hate any of us. They just, you know, think we’re all some crazy runaway kids or something.”

“Technically,” Azula interfered. “You were.” 

“With a great cause, in case you wondered,” Suki fumed. “And look at us now.” 

“Aang!” Sokka exclaimed, clearly rushing to change the subject in case Azula had a peckish remark to add. “How are Theo and his father?”

“They’re alright, we’ve been mapping the restoration of the Northern Air Temple and planning which one to do next,” he replied, eyes shimmering at the mention of his culture. “The Southern one will follow. First, the Northern one with the help of those who already reside there. Then, my old home will follow.”

Katara shifted on her seat, feeling uneasy. “Aang, that’s great.” For some reason, talking to him seemed more difficult than ever before. Still, she tried. “Sokka, we’ll have to visit once it’s all done, right?”

Her brother shot her a somewhat confused look. “Right, I’m sure we’ll all be there.”

“Of course, we’ll all visit together if we can,” Zuko mouthed, glancing over to Katara for just a moment. Enough for the two of them to understand. “So when do you think it’ll all be ready?”

“It’ll take long, don’t worry about clearing your schedule anytime soon,” Aang responded. “I’ll let you guys know.” 

“Wait, does this mean you want me to go too?” Azula chanted. She had been quiet for the most part, barely touching her food as she analyzed them with a sharp, puzzling glance. “Careful, I might drop a tear or two.”

“Hilarious, Azula, seriously,” Zuko sighed before making a slight smirk. “Wait until you hear all about the International Collaboration.” 

“Oh, brother, there’s no need to brag about your silly little Fire Lord moves.”

“The Collaboration is everything but silly, Azula,” Katara hissed. “Thanks to the aid Zuko is providing my tribe with, we’ll be able to thrive in just a couple of years. Then, we’ll be economic allies to your Nation. Even the more uptight advisors saw the advantage of that.”

“Whoa, look at you, Sugar Queen,” Toph cheered. “A week back at the Fire Nation and already causing a political fuzz.”

_ Maybe even more than a political one,  _ Katara thought, glancing at Zuko. Truth be told, she had enjoyed working with the advisors towards a prime start for the Collaboration. Yes, they had been tough to convince regarding all of her demands, but in the end, she had succeeded. And she liked that feeling, she felt useful advocating for her people amidst a group of uptight strangers. That’s why she could never let Azula question her work without reason. 

“Thanks to you, sist,” Sokka said with a smile. “We will now be able to get started with the Reconstruction Project. Guys, it’ll be amazing, designing the plans has been great. A brand new school, Medical Center,  _ and _ Waterbending Academy to start with.” 

Katara couldn’t help but twitch her lips into a grin. “The Waterbending Academy is key, you know.”

“Girl, you’re the new master at International Relationships, huh?” Suki laughed. 

“Seriously, Katara, Atkin told me how fierce you were in that meeting,” Zuko beamed, gifting her with a soft smile. “I know we’ve already talked about it but it’s worth noting it again. You did a great job of fighting for your people’s needs.”

“Congrats, Katara,” Aang muttered. “We’re all proud.” 

“Well, isn’t this adorable?” Azula let out an amused sigh. “You all are as sweet as it gets.” 

“Thank you, princess,” Toph sneered. “Now why don’t you help us clean this up?”

Mumbling an incomprehensive complaint, Azula followed Suki and Toph to the side, holding to her leftovers as if they would somehow be of some violent use. 

What a strange yet nice dinner that had just been. 

Sooner than later, Katara found herself rearranging everything she could find, even what should not be organized. Everyone else was doing their own thing, checking the details of their arrival to Hira’a, preparing the sleeping bags, or just taking a moment to breathe. For some reason, it was comforting to spend a minute away, alone with her thoughts and surrounded by the ocean. The bonfire was still lightened, shedding a little brightness into the night. The sound of the ocean waves accompanied the crippling of the fire, making for a perfect nighttime symphony. She still felt in a rush, a little overwhelmed by the many things that were happening at the same time. Though it was good to be back with all her friends, despite the slightly gloomy circumstances. 

Just as she was about to look for Zuko, the least familiar of voices around there made her flinch. 

“So…” Azula was right there by the shore, staring straight at her. “You and Zuzu went to Gaipan together, right? And you two talked to some old man?” 

A shiver went down the waterbender’s spine. What did Azula want? She couldn’t be sure. Still, answering seemed like the smarter choice. “Yes, we traveled there together.” 

With a fierce look on her face, the fallen princess got closer, analyzing her every move. Suddenly, she was right in front of her, breathing down on her neck as she cocked an eyebrow. 

“What do you know?” A wicked smile crossed her face. “Why did you do it?”

“Why did I do what?” Katara frowned, taking a step back to the shore. “Helping Zuko?” 

“I know  _ she _ convinced you to investigate the matter. Of course, now that it’s safe for her, she wants to be found.” 

“Azula, I don’t have a single clue what you’re talking about.” A strain of uneasiness clouded her voice. “I traveled to Gaipan with Zuko because I know how important this is for him. I could never let him do this all alone.” 

“Oh, come on!” the firebender exclaimed. “Don’t lie, I’m sure Mother wouldn’t want you to do that.” 

“Your mother…?” 

“Yes, Katara, my Mother! She’s got you all twisted around her little finger, huh?” Her eyes shimmered against the moonlight, giving way to a dangerous hint. Her expression was one of pure instability, reigned by pain and desperation. “She was the one that made you go with my incompetent brother so she could come back from the shadows to haunt me even more!”

That had been more than certainly  _ not  _ what happened. Why on earth would Azula even consider that irrational theory?

“Alright, let’s calm down for a second, okay?” Katara took an additional step back, furthering the distance between them. “I have never, ever, come in contact with your mother, Zuko and I got exactly the same information from Uton, and I’m doing this for your brother, not because your mom told me to do so.”

“Then why do you seem so in control?!” Azula cried out, her voice stuck between an exclamation and a plea. “You are the one running around like you know something the rest of us don't and I'm certain it is because of her. Mother has instructed you to destroy me, hasn’t she?” 

Spirits, why couldn’t the princess let out her anger with someone else? Just when she was having one little moment of quietness…

“Answer me, Katara! Can’t you see what she’s trying to do?” she advanced to be nearer the waterbender, fists clenched and a troubled frown clouding her face. “She’s just going to convince Zuko of throwing me back into that room so I have no chance to get even the slightest bit of power! She’ll never let anyone think I’m anything less than a monster.” 

“Azula, please, listen,” Katara begged. “Your mother is still missing, she hasn’t communicated with any of us yet.”

“What’s in it for you then, huh?” A twisted smile accompanied her spite. “Why have you been so diligent with my family?”

"You know, I won't even bother explaining it again." The waterbender twisted on her heels, determined to cut out whatever nonsense this was. “I’m leaving, you can keep talking to the sea if you’d like.” 

“Wait, you can’t leave. I’m talking to you! You have to listen!”

“No, Azula, I don’t have to listen to you! For Spirits’ sake, I haven’t even met your mother yet.”

“Is that what you want?” A cruel laugh escaped her mouth. “You want to steal my mother now?”

Katara tilted her head, feeling her heart sinking inside her chest. Though she tried, no words were spoken on her behalf. 

“You lost your mother so…” Azula was breathing on her neck. “Because mine thinks I’m just a monster that gives you the right to try and fill in my shoes? Is that why you can’t leave Zuzu alone for more than a minute? You two have some marvelous plan to cast me out into the shadows?” 

“You know what?” Katara finally muttered. “Up until this point, I didn’t think of you as a monster… But now you might have just made me consider it.” 

Probably not the best words to say to a master firebender with a tendency to become overly violent in a matter of seconds. 

“So... you admit it then?”

“No, Azula, I don’t admit a damn thing!" she exclaimed, losing her patience. “Listen to yourself, you’re not making any sense!”

“Katara? Azula?” Zuko interrupted, quickly followed by Aang and Sokka. “Is there something going on here?” 

“She wants to steal Mother from me!” Azula snapped. “But you probably already knew this, traitor!”

“What?” Sokka looked astonished. 

“Oh, please, save it,” Katara hissed. “I swear on  _ my _ mother that I have no intention of stealing yours. Now, goodbye!” 

With those final words, she ran away into the woods. 

The sound of Zuko questioning Azula almost made her stop. Though she didn’t. The last thing she needed was for the most unstable human she had ever met to start making up conspiracy theories about her intentions. So what if she rarely ever left Zuko’s side? They were the ones that knew the most about their situation. That didn’t mean they were plotting against anyone, nevertheless in hopes of turning her into some sort of substitute daughter for Ursa. For Spirits’ sake, that had to be the craziest thing she’d ever listened to. 

She stopped in the middle of a clearing and resigned to spend a few moments by herself. This time, with a bitter feeling attached to it. How could Azula come up with those thoughts? Deep down, she suspected the reason behind all her paranoia. The fallen princess craved a mother’s love. Who would’ve guessed those emotions could still reside within someone so apparently heartless? Though it didn’t entirely surprise her, given how often she too found herself thinking about her own mother. Although never with such resentment. 

Still, none of that could conceal the fact that Azula had noticed her augmented proximity to Zuko. In only a couple of days, the girl had figured them out. Well, not exactly, yet she had been right about them being together more than ever before. 

_ Wait. _

What did Azula even know about them, really? She had spent her days chasing after them and trying to take them down. The uneasiness had to stop, there was no way she could ever even suspect about the true depth of their relationship. It was her fear of causing trouble speaking, clouding her judgment in an attempt to avoid confrontation. 

Only that Azula had been the one to throw a lightning bolt at her instead of directing it to the person she was actually fighting with during that terrible Agni Kai. 

Perhaps she had done it as a last resource, one last desperate move before her inevitable fall. But… maybe there had been something other than rage to that decision. Could Azula have detected a weakness in her brother? Her, it could’ve been her. Was she the weakness? The one thing Zuko couldn’t have predicted? The one thing on that courtyard he was ready to die for? 

No. Even if that was true, the overthinking had to stop. She couldn’t let Azula get the best of her. 

“Katara?” Zuko’s voice surprised her. “Why did you run away like that?”

She was sitting on the ground, admiring the tranquility of the night sky. Somehow, getting lost on its sea of blues, slivers, and crystal shimmers managed to calm her down. 

“Because your sister was getting on my nerves, that’s why.” Her sight didn’t leave the stars. 

“I’m sorry she behaved that way,” he muttered, sitting next to her. “She told me her crazy theory, by the way, and I get why you’re upset.”

“I just don’t understand where she gets those delusions from. She says I can’t leave you alone for more than a minute because I have some kind of twisted plan to steal your mother from her.” There was exasperation visible through her words, giving away just how frustrating the situation was for her. “Azula doesn’t even know about the anti-war movement thing and she still thinks we’re up to something, Zuko.”

“Aren’t we?” A hint of tenderness tainted his voice. 

“Spirits, someone’s feeling funny.” Katara finally tilted her head to look into his eyes, twitching her lips into a soft smile. “This is actually a serious matter, you know? What if tomorrow she decides to start telling everyone about us?”

“Am I missing something or are you suggesting Azula magically knows about you and me?”

“What if she does, Zuko?” Her voice was barely a whisper. “What if she doesn’t but decides to say so anyways?”

“Katara, listen,” he grabbed her by the shoulders, shifting her to his side so she would be facing him. “It’s barely been a day since we acknowledged our feelings and two since my sister saw any of us for the first time in months… There’s no way she knows that something really is happening between us.” 

“I know, alright? I know,” she mumbled, feeling betrayed by her own fears. “I’m just scared of what delusions might come out of her mouth next. Everything is so tense right now, I’ve just told Aang the truth, we hadn’t seen our friends in weeks… The last thing we need is a massive misunderstanding.”

“What are you saying?” There was a confused look in his golden eyes. 

“I’m saying that we need to make it clear to Azula that we’re all on the same side here. We can’t risk her spreading rumors about our secret plans or who knows what other lies.” 

“Why on earth would our friends believe any of it?” His face was clouded by an apprehensive frown. “If this is about what’s started between us…”

“No, it’s not like that,” Katara rushed to say, cupping his scarred cheek into her hand. “I just don’t want them to hear anything but the truth about us. We don’t know what kind of things they could think otherwise.” 

“About you and me?” His voice had a strain of skepticism to it. “Katara, Toph knows the truth, Mai knows the truth, Agni, the rest of them must suspect something. I’m not comfortable keeping us in the dark.” 

“I don’t like it either, but what’s the alternative?” she said as she let out a sigh. “Walking up to them right now and telling them what? That we kissed last night? With Azula here to listen to all of it? The day before we get to Hira’a?”

A beat of silence found its way to them, making what they both knew all that much clear. Despite their good intentions, the safest thing to do was to be rational about the circumstances. 

“You’re right,” Zuko finally admitted, a strain of heaviness lost within his eyes. “I know we can’t say anything yet, I know  _ this _ has just happened and that I might be rushing into it but...” 

“Zuko,  _ this _ might’ve just happened but that doesn’t make it any less meaningful,” she muttered, brushing her thumb against his damaged skin. She still felt the heat of his hands over her shoulders. “ _ This _ is real, and I’m so thankful for it. It’s been months in the making, weeks of unspoken emotions, countless hours of guessing, all of it leading us to each other. Which is why we have to be careful if we want everyone else to appreciate what’s going on here.”

He let out a defeated yet hopeful sigh. “But we’re good, right?”

She placed a kiss on his lips. “We’re more than good, you know that.” 

“Katara…” he mouthed as their foreheads touched. “I just don’t want us to drift apart in the middle of this mess.” 

Her heart skipped more than a single, treacherous beat. 

“That’s not going to happen, Zuko,” she stated, closing her eyes to savor that instant or closeness. “If anything, this can only bring us closer. We’ll find your mother, bring her home, and help Azula understand that nobody is trying to replace her. Together, this is how we fix things from now on.”

For a moment, there was no response. Yet Katara felt Zuko smiling barely an inch away from her, even with her eyes closed. 

“You said ‘ _ home _ ’,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around her. “I know it’s silly to be moved by such a small detail… But I’m just happy to hear those words from you.” 

It was the truth. She had referred to the Fire Nation as  _ home _ before, though only within her private thoughts. The concept still seemed a little too ambiguous for her liking, given how many homes she had found along the path that had led her there. More than a home for multiple people. Still, Zuko was her home now, more than ever before. But that didn’t mean her future was sorted out, not even by a long shot. 

Not knowing exactly why, Katara became speechless. Instead of forcing herself to formulate a response, she buried her head into the creek of his neck as she brought him closer. 

“Hey, Katara, it’s okay,” he muttered, softly caressing her back. “You don’t need to answer every awkward thought I blurt out.” 

“Don’t be silly,” she chuckled, shifting backward to face him once again. “You know I feel at home with you.” 

Her confession had escaped from her mouth before giving her any chance to ponder about it. Nevertheless, she felt relieved for saying it. Amidst all the uncertainty, at least one thing was for sure. They were going to stick together. No matter what. 

Zuko leaned closer, causing their noses to almost touch. “I’m glad to admit I feel the same.” 

Just when they were about to shorten the already minimal distance between them, the sound of footsteps made them freeze on the spot. 

“There you are!” Suki’s voice echoed all across the clearing. “We were wondering what on earth happened to you two.” 

Before any of them had a chance to react, the girl stopped walking to start staring at them with a curious look on her face. 

“Is everything alright here?” A strain of suspiciousness was detectable in her voice. “Did something else happen?” 

“No, we’re fine,” Katara rushed to say, dragging herself to her feet as she moved away from Zuko. “I was upset about Azula so…”

“I assured her that she has nothing to worry about, right?” The Fire Lord chimed in, rubbing the back of his neck. “It was just a bad moment.” 

“Okay,” Suki hummed. “Then we should better get back to camp.” 

“Sure,” Zuko complied, huffing his pace as he stumbled before them. “I’ll go talk to Azula some more.”

“Zuko!” Katara exclaimed, watching him disappear behind the tree line. “Thanks for the advice.”

“What?” he frowned, turning back to face her. At first, he didn’t seem to understand what she was trying to say. Luckily, he caught her act soon enough. “Oh, right! Yeah, no problem! Anytime.” 

With that said the Fire Lord sprinted back to the others, leaving the two girls alone to walk to camp. The first couple of moments were filled with a strange silence. 

“So…” Suki finally muttered. “Tough chat with Azula?”

“You think?” Katara shrugged. “I just don’t understand her train of thoughts.” 

“Good thing Zuko was here to save the day then.” 

She felt a sting on her chest. “What?!” 

“Whoa.” Suki tilted her head, shooting her a confused look. “I was just trying to lighten the mood a little. I’m sorry, I didn’t know she had made you so upset.” 

“No, no, it’s okay,” she mumbled as she shook her head. “I’m sorry, I’ve been a little on edge recently.” 

“Does this has anything to do with Aang coming back after he left you?” 

_ Yes, _ Katara thought, looking at the floor as she walked.  _ Yes and no, you wouldn’t guess how much things have really changed since Ba Sing Se. _

“Not precisely,” she admitted. “It’s a bit of everything.” 

“Hey, don’t worry about it.” Suki’s voice was tender, ever so reassuring. “You’ve brought us all here, you’ve helped Zuko come this close to finding his mother, you’ve even made the International Collaboration happen. You have the right to feel overwhelmed from time to time.” 

“Thanks, Suki.” Katara let out a sigh. “And what about you? Already tired of seeing Sokka’s face?”

“Don’t be a jerk,” her friend chuckled. “You know I could never get tired of that. I’m glad to have a chance to see more of him before he gets all caught up with the Reconstruction Project and I’m off to Kyoshi Island again.” 

“Are the rest of the girls alright?”

“Yeah, they’re busy keeping the Island organized.” Suki smiled, moving forward. “Luckily, there’s not much fighting to do nowadays. But we keep ourselves busy down there.” 

“Well, that’s good news, right?” Katara was already able to see the light coming from the bonfire Azula had lightened. 

“Right.” The girl placed her hands on top of her hips. “Now, Katara, don’t you start running around letting Azula get the best of you because I won’t have any of it. Nobody has a clue of what she’s saying half of the time, so don’t even bother getting upset about it.”

“Okay, okay,” she complied. “There’s no need to be so severe with me, I can handle her on my own.’ 

“Oh, I know girl, I’ve never doubted that,” Suki clarified. “It’s just not worth it.” 

“I know, hopefully, that’ll be over soon.” 

“You were brave to support Zuko with this whole ordeal, you know? Leaving the South Pole as soon as you got there… That boy owes you, big time.” 

Katara stumbled on her toes, searching for something to say. She had never thought of her help as such a big of a deal. Unless there was a hidden intention behind Suki’s words. 

“Not really,” she finally managed to stutter. “He’d do the same for me.” 

“We all would,” Suki smiled, padding her in the back. “Now let’s go meet the others.” 

Once they walked into the shore, Zuko shot Katara a questioning look. She simply nodded in response, given how immersed he seemed into trying to reason with Azula. Though that simple nod meant everything was alright, they were in the clear for the moment. She just hoped there wouldn’t be any more of those misunderstandings. For the health of their entire operation, a peaceful ambiance was needed within the team. 

She noticed Aang sitting in silence next to Appa and Momo, staring at the sea. They hadn’t really gotten a chance to talk normally again, just the two of them as friends, since their previous turmoiled conversation. Perhaps that was the right moment. 

“Hey,” she greeted him, sitting next to him on the ground. 

He smiled, picking up his sight. “Hey, Katara.”

Her eyes shimmered with a glimpse of hope. “Thinking about the restoration plans?” 

“A little. There’s not much I can do until I get back there, though Theo is taking care of the preliminary steps.” 

“Why don’t you tell me more about it?” 

“Do you want me to?” There was a tiny strain of melancholy in his voice, hopes from earlier days. “I mean, you know - Azula has just given you a hard time, and yesterday… I get it if you would rather be left alone right now.” 

“Do  _ you _ want to be left alone right now?” 

Aang frowned, rubbing the back of his neck. “Um, no. No, I don’t think so.” 

“Then we’re fine I guess,” Katara smirked, elbowing him on the ribs. “Tell me, and please include how Theo is doing, I haven’t seen him in ages and your letters weren’t exactly extensive.”

“Months, actually,” he beamed. “Not even half a year.”

Katara stuck her tongue at him, grateful for the way he was following her lead on acting as carefree and normal as possible despite the disagreement of their hearts. 

“Monts, alright,” she complied. “Go on then.” 

As Aang started to share his stories from his most recent visit to the Northern Air Temple, Katara found herself feeling utterly relieved. Surrounded by some of those she cared the most about, and the troubling Azula, the uneasiness caused by her skirmish with the fallen princess began to dissipate into the night. 

That’s how she would manage to keep things under control, facing them. Just like she was facing Aang right there and then, making sure she still had a friend in him, one of her closest ones. Staying on top of everything wouldn’t be easy, or even realistically possible, but she had the power to make the call regarding whether or not she would let herself be guided by a fear of the uncertain. And was not about to ley dismay win. 

That was the attitude she had to carry with herself to Hira’a. The right frame of mind to face the unknown. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I hope you guys enjoyed this update!  
> I love writing about the characters' dynamics with each other, so I thought a chapter with more focus on those aspects would be fitting right before we get to Hira'a. Of course, if you'd like, don't hesitate to tell me what you think of it!
> 
> As always, thank you so much for reading! Until the next update! <3


	33. Point Of No Return

Hira’a had a strange ambiance to it. The town was quiet yet lively at the same time, and at first glance, the war already seemed nothing more than a distant memory. Amidst the striking sun, the refreshing palm trees, and the small mountains framing the horizon, it looked like a great place to spend a few relaxing days away from the hustle of Capitol City. 

Though that was more than certainly not what they were doing there. 

Zuko took a deep breath, inhaling the hot air that surrounded them. He was finally where his mother was supposed to be hiding. Because she  _ had _ to be there, or else who knew what corners of the world he would have to explore in order to find her. 

“Appa, stay here, got it?” Aang’s voice brought him back to reality. “We’ll come back later.” 

“It’s not like he has anywhere else to go to, right?”Azula chanted, stumbling across the field. 

“You stay here too,” Zuko said, grabbing her by the shoulders. “We’ll head to the village in just a moment.” 

His sister rolled back her eyes, grunting some inexplicable complaint. Yet, she stopped walking. 

“Alright, do we have everything?” Katara asked, shooting him an inquisitory look. “If so, we should get going.” 

He couldn’t help but keep his eyes on her for just an extra second as if he was making sure she would not fade away at any given moment. They had managed to make it through her argument with Azula, who he had a serious conversation with after returning from the clearing. A part of him had grown fearful of what could happen if the rest of the team were to find out about Katara and him, probably as a consequence of his most recent heart to heart with the waterbender. Though he mostly felt joy whenever he took a minute to think about that. In between the seemingly never-ending uncertainty, his feelings for her were the one thing that remained crystal clear. 

“Um, yeah,” Zuko said as he blinked, snapping himself out of his mind. “I have everything I need.” He brushed his fingers against the portrait hidden inside his pocket, the one image of his mother he had brought with him. Hopefully, it would prove useful for his search. 

“Momo, you’re coming with me.” Sokka placed the lemur on his right shoulder. “Now I’m ready to go.” 

“Are we having a lunch break or should I just attack some of those cookies?” Toph asked. 

“Just take whatever you want and we’ll improvise once we see how things go,” Suki replied. “Let’s get going already.” 

“Alright, alright,” Aang clung to the bag on his shoulders. “Hoods on, everyone.” 

As the group started walking down the path to town, Zuko kept a close eye on his sister. Azula walked with such determination, such energy, that almost questioned whether or not she had any clue of what was going on. How could she be so enthusiastic instead of controlled by fear? There was something remarkable about her unswervable attitude, concealed under a thick layer of delusion and uncontrollable rage. 

It didn’t take too long for the village to become visible on the horizon once they started passing by a few solitary homes. The residents of the town didn’t seem to notice them so much, just a group of teenagers in baggy clothing, as they strolled through the busy streets. 

“Okay, I think this is a good place to start,” Zuko said, stopping by a nearby palm tree. “Now we separate so we can cover more ground. We’ll meet back here in a couple of hours.” 

He had chosen to stop right before the main square, where the multitudes stumbled from one street to another as they went about their day. The midday sun rose treacherously up in the sky, though the sunshine made for a brighter ambiance that seemed to be a good match for such a tranquil place. 

Azula chuckled before attempting to take a step forward. “Alright then, I’ll go by myself.” 

“No way, you are not about to be left unsupervised.” Zuko stood on her way with a severe look on his face. “You’re coming with me and Katara.” 

“Miss ‘I’m in charge here’?” she fumed. “Sure, why not?” 

“Come on, Azula,” Katara rolled back her eyes. “It might even be fun.” 

The princess shot her a confused look. “You’ve gone crazy, haven’t you?” 

“Um, so…” Aang hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. “Katara, you’re going with them?”

There was an unusual strain to his voice. Jealousy, maybe? It couldn’t be. Aang would be the last person on earth to believe anything could happen between her and Zuko. Though he did seem surprised with the arrangement. Even when, in all honesty, this had certainly not been the first time the two of them were teaming up to get things done. That had actually been the customary 

“Yeah, I am,” the waterbender responded, feeling a sting of culpability on her chest. “Aang, toph, you can pair up. And I’m guessing-”

“Suki and I will go together!” Sokka exclaimed without even let her finish. 

“Then what are we waiting for?” Toph exclaimed. “Come on, Twinkle Toes, we’ll take the left side of the square.” She prompted him to start moving. 

“Remember to describe her properly!” Zuko shouted as they walked away. 

“We all will!” Sokka replied, grabbing Suki by the wrist and heading to the right. “Good luck!”

Once the three of them were left alone, Zuko felt a jittery rush taking over him. 

The moment of truth, that was all left for him to face. Months of planning had led him to that very moment. Right there, standing in a bright square, with the image of his mother inside the pocket of the robe covering his face. A whisper, a shouted secret, that was all that he was. With just one doubtful breath, his entire existence seemed reduced to the one of a boy who felt lost. Terribly disoriented. Pleading to the Spirits for a glimpse of hope. 

The warmth of a hand on his shoulder caused the iciness of his fears to dissipate, melting away into her touch. Of course, it was her. Who else would detect from the mere look in his eyes just how troubled he was? 

Next to her, there was room for more than a glimpse of hope. 

“You alright, Zuko?” Katara’s voice felt as comforting as the sun above them. “Whenever you say.”

He let out a sigh, looking up at the clear blue sky. “Let’s go, we can start by asking people that pass through here.” 

Katara nodded in agreement meanwhile Azula just looked at him with impatient eyes. 

“Mother, we’re coming for you.” 

The princess’s words were technically right. 

A little over an hour later, the three travelers remained empty-handed. Perhaps asking people in the middle of the square hadn’t been the smartest choice, given how busy they seemed with their daily routines. 

But that wasn’t about to stop them. At least not before Azula’s uncomprehensive attitude. 

“We’ve already ask dozen of peasants and they just don’t seem to care that much,” she complained. “Why don’t we tell them we’re the damn royal family and call it a day?”

“Because we could be putting Mother in danger,” Zuko sighed, resting his back on a nearby tree. “We’ve been over this already.”

“Zuzu, do you want to find her before you get a chance to bring our entire nation to the ground?”

“Hey, that was uncalled for,” Katara interfered, her voice clouded with a strain of exhaustion. 

“Sorry, did I ask for your advice?” Azula hissed. “I think my brother can  _ at least _ answer for himself.”

“You’ve just called him incompetent! That’s not helpful here, we need to keep questioning these people.” 

“Agni, Mother really did send you just to get on my nerves, huh?” 

Zuko felt a shiver down his spine. Not again...

“Azula, what on earth are you talking about now?”

“Relax, Zuzu, this is between me and the waterbender.” 

“Wrong, if it involves any of you two then it also involves me,” he spat out without even thinking. “So you better shut up or start making some sense.”

“Mother, that’s plenty, thank you!” Azula cried out, lifting her sight before looking at him with a vicious smile. “Oh, brother, it still amuses to see you defend her.” 

“Mother can’t listen to you!” he exclaimed, frustrated. “And, please, just cut it off.”

“What? Did I say something to upset you?” she asked, taking a step back as she let out a cruel laugh. “You two are quite the pair of sensitive fools.”

Katara shot him a severe look as if she was saying ‘I told you this was bound to happen’, and Zuko knew she was right. Azula could’ve not been aware of the real depth of their relationship but she was sure as hell going to push them to the limit. How could they guess the true extent of the lies she was feeding everyone and herself? For all he knew, his sister could think that he was already betrothed to the waterbender along with many other insanities. There seemed to be no end to her state of delusion. 

“Azula, can’t you at least stay put? Katara sighed, pressing her back against the same tree he was resting on. “If you’re so determined to argue, have the decency of giving us a break.”

Another step back. 

“I’m not arguing! I’m just…”

“You’re just what?” Zuko snapped. This whole bickering fixation was making him lose his patience. “Because Katara and I are busy looking for Mother, you know? Why don’t you stop complaining and make yourself a little more useful?” 

“Because you left me to rot in a lifeless room for months!” Azula’s voice was filled with bitterness and desperation. Her eyes flickered against the treacherous rays of the sun, uncovering a tormented soul. She kept taking one step back to another, her deadly glance still glued to the two benders in front of her. “How am I supposed to even know how to be useful again when you clearly find me disposable?”

Zuko felt guilt crawling up his throat. “You tried to murder me! You tried to murder Katara! You knew damn well I would jump in front of your Agni forsaken lightning bolt and-”

“Azula, watch out!” Katara’s voice felt like a blade punching through the midday air. 

Without warning, his sister was on the floor. Not only that, but she was crushing a little girl as well. 

“Move over, kid!” she exclaimed, struggling to get back on her feet. 

He observed as Katara rushed to help the girl break free, offering her hand as support. 

“Are you okay?” he said, walking up to them. 

“I - I think so.” The girl looked terribly embarrassed, keeping her head down and her eyes on the floor. She couldn’t be more than five years old. Brown eyes, brown hair, and the gentlest of expressions. 

“Are you sure?” he insisted. “Does anything hurt?” 

Azula began fixing her clothes. “The kid said she’s fine, Zuzu.” 

“Watch it,” Katara hissed, still holding the little one’s hand. “You were the one who squashed her.” 

The girl shook her head. “I’m okay, I was just looking for Kiyi.”

“Who’s Kiyi?” Katara asked. 

“My doll,” she replied, eyes glistening in anguish. “I think I lost her when I hopped onstage.”

“Onstage?”

“There,” the kid pointed at the outdoor stage on the other side of the square. “She was gone when I came down. I need to find her.” 

“Alright, then we’ll help you, okay?” Katara promised, shooting Zuko a telling look. 

He knew what it meant. 

“Of course, we’ll find your doll.” He rubbed the back of his neck, shifting his glance towards his sister. “Right, Azula? We’ll help this girl that you ran over?”

She sighed in return. “Fine, Zuzu. But the clock’s ticking…”

“Is your name really Zuzu?” the kid asked, making a genuine smile. “That’s sweet!”

“Well,” he hesitated. There was no point in risking being recognized, no matter how silly the nickname. “That’s what my sister calls me.” 

“Nice to meet you, Zuzu.” Her voice sounded like a grin. “I’m Kiyi.”

Azula frowned. “Isn’t that the name of your doll?”

“Yes, it is.” Kiyi didn’t even bat a single eyelash. 

“Alright, Kiyi,” Katara said as she shot Azula a warning look. “I’m Katara, and this is Zuzu’s sister, Azula.”

“I like your names,” the girl stated, her brown eyes as cheerful as the sun above them. “Thank you for offering to help me find her.”

Katara held onto Kiyi’s hand, gently leading her to the stage. “You know? I think some of the staff might have moved her without realizing you were there… Why don’t we ask around?” 

Once the girls started walking, Zuko prompted Azula to follow them. The path to the stage area wasn’t anything too exhaustive, yet it provided a moment of quietness between the two siblings. 

The princess was the first one to break it. “Oh, brother, are we seriously going to spend our time this way?” 

“She’s a child for Agni’s sake, where is your heart?” 

“Mmm,” she hummed. “Probably forgotten in that room you locked me in.” 

“Azula, please,” he pleaded, tormented by the unspoken weight of her words. “You left me with no choice.” 

“I could say the same about you… Betraying your family in such a shameless way...” Her voice was clouded with resentment. “I hope it was worth it, Zuzu.” 

“You know very well it was worth every exhausting second.” He locked his eyes on hers. “Look around you, there’s peace around here. There’s peace all over the world now. All because the war was put to an end.”

“Oh, yes, everybody knows you have it all now,” she grimaced. “But what about me, huh? You stole my friends, my title, my throne, my palace… And now your precious waterbender is out for my mother. Tell me, did you already promised her my room?”

“No, Azula, that doesn’t make any sense.” He resisted the urge to send her back to the Physquic Guard. “Katara is just a friend trying to help us find Mother. Don’t start feeding those strange ideas that go through your mind.”

All of a sudden, she twitched her lips into a vicious grin. “Funny, Zuzu, I never said she was anything more than your friend…”

Brilliant. That’s how every last bit of his efforts went down the drain. 

_ Just say it now, _ Zuko thought, clenching his fists.  _ Go ahead, mock me, or threaten me so this suspense is finally over.  _

But nothing happened. No warning, no threat, not even one last sarcastic remark. At least, not before their bickering was interrupted. 

“Zuzu, Azula!” Kiyi was a few feet away from them, calling their names as she waved her arms. “You’re falling behind!”

Katara welcomed them with a soft smile. “I’m going to ask that lady in the corner, stay with her for a minute.” 

Before any of the two siblings got a chance to respond, the waterbender had left them alone with the little girl. 

“So… Kiyi,” Zuko tried to start a conversation. “What were you doing on that stage?”

“My mom and dad are here all the time,” she explained, twirling on her spot. “They perform on the play and I like to pretend I do too.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be at school or something?” Azula hissed. 

“It’s Saturday,” the girl replied, a curious expression set on her face. “Besides, I’m still little. Dad sometimes lets me skip so I can come and see the rehearsals.” 

“Well my dad wanted me to take lessons every single Saturday, no rest allowed,” the princess said as a strain of bitterness clouded her voice. “Good for you, kid.” 

Zuko didn’t fail to notice the way his sister expression had shifted from lightly entertained to unexpectedly sorrowful. He understood more than anyone else. It must’ve been nice to have a childhood free of royal pressures and fatherly demands, though he couldn’t know about it. In more than one way, Azula’s pain was the same as his, even with their irreparable differences. 

“I was right!” Katara’s voice brought him back to life. “That lady says she saw one of the utility men stash it along with the rest of the props.”

“Kiyi? Confused as part of the set?” The girl’s voice was filled with surprise. “That’s terrible! We have to get her.” 

“And we will, just come with us and we’ll talk to the man.” 

“Okay,” she complied. “Zuzu, don’t fall behind this time!”

As Kiyi sprinted towards the side of the stage, Azula kept fuming to herself. 

“Really? A kid that likes  _ you _ better than me?” she complained. “She even stole my nickname.”

“I don’t think she was aware that you wanted to be liked,” he replied, shrugging. “Anyhow, we don’t even know her. Just let it go and we’ll continue looking for Mother.”

His sister bitterly chuckled, stopping on her feet. “Speaking of people who like you better than me…” 

“Azula, you too!” Kiyi’s voice felt like a breath of fresh air. 

“See?” Zuko smirked. “She does like you.”

“Oh, shut up.” Though a brief smirk crossed her face. 

“Excuse me,” he heard Katara say. “Do you work with the props?”

“Yes, I do,” the man answered. “What can I help you with?”

Zuko took a step forward. “This girl lost her doll, we were wondering if maybe it had gotten mistaken as part of the show belongings.”

“Oh, alright, just let me check.” The man turned to a huge box full of things. “I’m new around here so I still don’t fully grasp which props are which.”

“Kiyi, why don’t you take a look?” he prompted her with a reassuring smile. “See if you can find her in there.” 

The girl stood on her tiptoes, looking through the contents of the box as the man moved them around. 

“There!” she exclaimed as her face lightened up completely. “That’s Kiyi!”

“Let me get it for you,” the man said, reaching for the doll. “I’m very sorry for the confusion.” 

“Kiyi!” The little one grinned as she held the toy in her hands. “Welcome back!”

“Alright, I think its time to go,” Katara stated, looking at the man. “Thank you for your help.” 

“Thank you, sir!” Kiyi repeated, still hugging her doll. “Kiyi and I think you’re very nice!”

As the four of them walked away from the stage, Zuko realized something. 

“Kiyi, are you supposed to be alone out here’” he asked, his voice gentle as a feather. 

“Right,” Katara nodded. “Where are your parents?”

“Great, let’s ask her about her life story too,” Azula whispered. 

Kiyi seemed completely unpreoccupied by being alone. “Mom is working and dad should be around here. It’s fine, I’m very responsible.”

“I don’t doubt that,” he smiled. “But your dad might be worried.” 

“He’s fine, Zuzu. He knows I like to explore the park.” 

An exclamation put an end to that belief. 

“Kiyi” A man was running towards them. Preoccupation written all over his face. “Where were you? I tilted my head for one second you were gone!” 

“Hey, dad!” The girl seemed oblivious to the severeness of the situation. “I made some new friends, they helped me find Kiyi.” 

“A confusing way to name your doll, if you let me say it,” Azula muttered. 

“Is that why you disappeared?” The man asked, padding his daughter’s back. 

“Um, hi,” Zuko intervened. “She was just looking for her doll when we found her... I promise she’s perfectly fine.” 

“Thank you,” the man rushed to say. “Thank you all, for taking care of this little troublemaker and helping her find Kiyi.” 

Azula coughed. “Still a weird way to name her…” 

“It was a pleasure, really,” Katara smiled. “She’s lovely to be around.” 

“Hey, that’s Dani over there!” Kiyi exclaimed, pointing at the bench on the other side of the square. “See, ‘Zula? I do go to school, she’s one of my classmates!”

With that being said, the little one sprinted off in the direction of her friend, still holding tightly to her doll. As she joyfully ran away, Zuko heard her giggle. 

“Bye Zuzu, Bye Kat, Bye Azula!” She waved at them as hs father rushed to follow her. “I hope I see you again soon!”

“Wait, sir,” Zuko asked, raising his voice. “Can we ask you something?” 

“I’m sorry, maybe next time!” he apologized, already a few feet further down the path. “I shouldn’t let her get away again!”

Another chance missed. Though he doubted that man had any idea of where his mother could be. Even he was started to question the validity of their information about Hira’a. Still, he couldn’t give up. Not yet. 

“Did she…” Azula mouthed, a confused frown taking over her face. “Did that girl just call me ‘Zula?” 

“She called me Kat, so don’t take it personally.” 

Zuko couldn’t help but chuckle. “Come on, ‘Zula, a nickname shows she likes you.” 

“As if I care about a strange child. She’s weird anyway, she named her dol after herself,” Azula grunted. “Now shouldn’t we keep moving? Mother wouldn’t want to know we are so easily distracted.” 

Katara shot him a sympathetic look. “Whatever you say… Let’s head downtown and ask around there.” 

“Sure,” Zuko agreed, letting out a timid sigh. “Let’s do this.” 

Little by little, Hira’a was being discovered. It shouldn’t be too late until he found what they were looking for. A clue, a name, the smallest of hints… Anything would be enough to renew his hopes. 

Though their brief encounter with that bright-eyed kid had managed to bring a bit of extra warmth to his heart.

* * *

“Yes, I know her. She’s Noriko, one of the few Master Herbalists in town.” 

Those were the words that shook him. Victory, or perhaps, even more confusion. 

Katara’s idea to travel a couple of extra block downs the streets had been the lucky one. They had started knocking on every door, pleading to its residents to try to remember if they had seen a woman named Ursa who looked like the portrait they had of her. Unfortunately, the answer had been the usual ‘ _ Sorry, I don’t think so’. _

Until it wasn’t. 

On one of the very houses along the quiet street they had stumbled into, the response had been different. Vastly different. 

An old war widow had been the answer to all their wishful-thinking. Alone in her front yard, she had been quick to welcome them into her garden. Though they didn’t stay long. As soon as they heard those blissful words, adrenaline took over. 

Zuko was practically shaking. “Are you sure her name isn’t Ursa? She used to live here…”

“Oh, honey, I moved here after I lost my husband to the war,” the lady replied, shaking her head. “I’m sorry, all I know is that she makes the best restorative cream for my back pain.”

“Do you happen to know where she lives?” Katara asked, her voice gentle yet pressing. 

“Of course I do, a lovely house with a garden far prettier than mine,” the woman smiled. “She lives in Crescent street, right in the outer corner of town, near the valley. It’s the indigo house on the left side of the path.” 

“Wait,” Azula intervened, her eyes shimmering with excitement. It was the first time she had spoken during their questioning. “Zuzu, I saw that house on our way to the village. I know where it is.”

“Ah, yes,” the woman grimaced. “It’s pretty isolated from the rest of town.” 

“It was empty,” Azula sighed. “If not we could’ve asked.”

“Then Noriko must be out working, Saturdays are usually a busy day for her.” 

“Alright, we’ll try anyway,” Katara affirmed, gifting the woman with a warm smile. “Thank you, really, you’ve helped us immensely.” 

“It was a pleasure, honey,” the lady said as she offered them a white rose. “Take this, tell her Armeya is looking forward to her next batch of restorative cream.”

Azula clutched the flower in an avid gesture. “Thanks, we’ll do it. Now I think we must go.” 

“Thank you, Armeya,” Zuko said, his voice trembling with a mixture of enthusiasm and gratitude. “We’ll see you around.” 

“Bye kids, it was nice to meet you!” she replied, waving her hands in goodbye. 

Once the three of them were out of her yard, Azula started to chuckle. 

“Agni, we have to thank her for not asking why on earth we wanted to see her precious herbalist.” 

“Come on, it’s not that weird,” Katara laughed. “Maybe Zuko has terrible back pain after all.”

Hold on a moment. Were the two girls actually getting along for one unbelievable second? Zuko couldn’t trust what he was witnessing. Yet the adrenaline rush caused by the first glimpse of hope seemed to be kicking in. 

“I do not have secret back pains, thank you very much,” he smirked, throwing his hands up in the air. “Now, please, let’s look for the others so we can find Mother once and for all.” 

“I’m still amazed everyone but us seems to know her as Noriko instead of her real name,” Azula chanted. “Tell me about actual delusions.” 

“Well,” Katara shot him a hesitant look. “You can ask her yourself once we get there.”

“Yeah,” the girl hummed. “I think Zuzu and I will have one or two questions to ask…” 

_ Do you mean a million? _ Zuko thought, staring at the cracks on the road. _ Mother, what really happened to you? _

With a little extra luck, he would hopefully find that out. 

The indigo house seemed a lot more intimidating once Zuko was aware of the person who resided there. Especially under the dimming afternoon sun. Behind the wooden door, beyond the floral front yard and hundreds of miles away from home. That corner of the world was where it would all make sense. 

His own long-lost mother. Would she even recognize him? After six years and a burnt half of his face? Sometimes, even he had trouble meeting himself in the mirror. Fire Lord Zuko was a whole new man compared to the scarred, banished boy in a never-ending search for the regaining of his so-called honor. A trait he would only find in the right place three years later. Now, he was the rightful ruler of his entire nation. Not only that, but he was a beloved friend - and a bit more? - to those who had stood by his side across his path to the light. 

The team was there, in fact, standing right next to him as they all stared at the home in front of them. Waiting, hesitating, hoping for an answer to the mystery that had been clouding his past ever since it started. 

The minute they had told the rest of them about the information, the entire group had sprinted to the outer part of the village. Every burning question - like why on earth did his mother call herself Noriko in her own hometown? - was rapidly shoved aside. All that mattered was behind that wooden door and indigo walls. 

But how to round up the courage to get past them?

Katara was the first one to take a step forward, her eyes locked with his as she twitched her lips into a comforting smile. 

“Zuko, Azula?” she asked, extending her hand. “Any of you wants to do the honors?” 

A beat of silence, accompanied by a shared, hesitant, look between the group of friends. 

“I’ll go.” His words stumbled across his throat, coming out as nothing but a whisper. 

“Right behind you, brother,” Azula stated, anticipation visible through her voice. 

Taking a deep breath, he walked to the door. Feeling his heart pounding inside his chest, he managed to finally knock on it. His sister was right next to him, looking quieter than ever before. 

As he sensed the door opening, he closed his eyes, nervously battling his eyelashes before daring to look at the person in front of him. 

It wasn’t his mother. 

No, it wasn’t even a woman. In fact, it was a man Zuko had a feeling he’d met before. 

“Um, hello?” Even his voice sounded familiar. “Oh, it’s you again.” 

A child’s scream made him flinch before freezing right on the spot. 

“Zuzu! You’re back!” The same girl from the square, Kiyi, ran through the door to greet him. “You’re just in time for the tea party!” 

Zuko couldn’t believe what he was witnessing. It had to be the wrong indigo house, right? 

Just when he thought things were finally falling into place, the unexpected mocked him again. 

Something was terribly wrong there. His mother was supposed to live in that house. 

Then why was she still nowhere to be found? 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! 
> 
> It was definitely tricky at first to blend canon elements with my own headcanons, but, well, I guess you'll see it all makes sense in the end. Also, yes, there was no way I would let the opportunity of including sweet Kiyi pass me by. I have a soft spot for children both in the fictional and real worlds. I hope you feel the same way about her addition to the story! 
> 
> Until the next update guys! Have a nice weekend! <3


	34. Confusion in Unpredictable Times

Confusion was one way to describe what Katara was feeling at the moment. 

“Zuzu! You’re back!” Kiyi’s voice threw her completely off. “You’re just in time for the tea party!”

What on earth? The look on Zuko’s face was the sheer image of shock. She noticed it in the blink of an eye, just how affected he was. Doubts were the only thing on her mind. The man and the kid from the square were both there. Yet Ursa seemed nowhere to be found. 

“Excuse me, why are you here?” Azula’s exclamation caused her to flinch. She couldn’t let her blow their already weak cover. 

Katara took a step forward, grabbing Azula by the shoulders. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she apologized to the man. The princess shot her a deadly glance, yet she stayed put. “We’re looking for someone. Armeya sent us here.”

“You know Armeya?” Kiyi asked, staring at Zuko with excitement in her eyes. “She’s nice!”

“Kiddo, why don’t go inside for a moment?” The man told his daughter, carefully leading her into the house. “I’ll be there in a minute.” 

“But - dad!” the girl pouted. 

“Kiyi…”

“Go, go,” Zuko seemed to have returned to his senses. “Listen to your father.” 

The little girl made her way back into the house, not without waving to them first. 

As soon as she was out of sight, the man proceeded to speak. “Who are you looking for?” 

“This woman,” Zuko took out the portrait from his pocket. “Her name is Ursa.”

“Though I think she goes by Noriko nowadays,” Katara added. 

“She’s some kind of Master Herbalist or something.” Azula sighed, her whole body looking tense, giving away her anxiety. “Again, this is supposed to be  _ her _ house.” 

The man’s eyes widened as he delicately took the portrait into his hands. For a moment, it looked as if he had just seen a ghost. A very threatening one. 

“And?” Aang moved closer to them. “Sir, do you know her or not?” 

He let out a defeated sigh. “It’s been a while since the last time anybody has called her Ursa.” 

“Wait, you know her!” Toph exclaimed, approaching the man. “Please, just tell us where she is.”

“Why on earth did she change her name?” Sokka mouthed from the back. 

“And why is this supposed to be where she lives?” Azula insisted. “Did you and your child steal her home?”

“Everyone, stop,” Zuko muttered, picking up his sight. “Please, tell us the truth.” 

The man nodded in silence, opening the door to let them into the house. Once they got inside, they found Kiyi playing with her doll in the living room. 

“Why don’t you all sit here?” he suggested, rounding up a few additional chairs. “Kiddo, we’re going to talk in here for some time, please go to your room.” 

“Alight, dad, alright,” Kiyi grimaced, sprinting out of the place. It was clear she understood the severity of the situation. 

“So?” Sokka asked, plummeting onto the nearest couch. “How do you know Ursa?” 

“Well,” the man said, drumming his feet. “She’s my wife.” 

“Excuse me?” Azula stood up on the verge of a scream. “Who are you to speak such things?” 

“I’m Ikem, and Noriko - Ursa is my wife. Has been for almost six years,” he insisted. “Now, who are  _ you _ to come into my home and?-”

“This is your home?” Zuko whispered, his face white as the snow down at the South Pole. “She lives here… with you?”

“And Kiyi is your daughter,” Katara continued, giving away into the madness. It couldn’t be true. Nothing about that situation made any sense. Then, what about her life had made any sense for more than a year now? She’d better be sure. “Right? Kiyi is you and Ursa’s daughter.”

“Katara, you know that kid?” Suki asked, eyes widening. Her friend looked just as confused as she was. 

“Ikem, can you tell us a bit more?” Aang pressed, clinging onto his headband. 

“You’re all insane!” Azula exclaimed, shivering. “How can you believe such atrocities from the mouth of a nobody?”

“Really, princess?” Toph intervened, a strain of exhausting detectable in her voice. “What were you expecting? To find your mo-” 

“Toph!” Katara hissed. The last thing they needed was a slip of the tongue. 

“Wait a minute,” Ikem frowned, picking up the tone of his voice. “Make some silence, please!” 

“I’m sorry, sir,” Aang rushed to apologize. “I know we seem to be quite rude but -” 

“You’re the Avatar, aren’t you?” 

Aang’s cheeks turned red. A preoccupied look took over his face. Though no words came out of his mouth. 

“Yes, you are,” Ikem continued with an inquisitorial tone. “Who are all of you? What do you want from my family?” 

“Oh, for Agni’s sake!” Azula dropped herself to the floor. “You recognize the damn peace-maker but not the rulers of your own nation? You’re a disgrace!” 

“Shut up,” Zuko whispered, dragging himself to his feet. “Azula, just quit yelling for five seconds.” 

“Is it true?” The man muttered, fear written all over his face. “Then you are…”

“Ding, ding, ding! We’re Ursa’s  _ real _ family, thank you very much.” Azula blurted out, letting a vicious laugh come out of her lips. “I can’t believe how clueless you are.” 

“Good job, princess!” Toph sighed. “Now we couldn’t lay low even if we were under the stupid ground.” 

Zuko seemed petrified, lost within the confines of his own mind. Katara couldn’t stand it any longer. She imagined the things that rumbled across his head. The sheer amount of confusion clouding his every thought. His every word yet to be spoken. Still, they had to do something other than standing there bickering. Nothing about the circumstances was ideal - nor much less - but at least they had found their first real lead. 

She placed her hand on his back, subtly brushing her fingertips over his robes. “Why don’t you tell him?” she suggested, catching her breath. “Tell him who you are, Zuko. The damage is already done.” 

The Fire lord lifted up his sight before taking off his hood. “Ikem, I’m Zuko, Ursa’s firstborn child and leader of this nation.” 

Well, that was one way of telling the truth. Blunt, raw, and painfully unsweetened. Yet that’s exactly how it was supposed to be. What other choice did they have? 

Ikem seemed to suppress a gasp before plummeting back to his seat. His face grew pale, even when a strain of recognition clouded his brownish eyes. 

“I knew this day was bound to come.” The words left his mouth as nothing but a whisper. 

“Care to explain a little more?” Azula grunted. “Why is my mother not here, for example?” 

“She’s out of town for the day,” he responded, his voice trembling. “Once a month or so she travels to one of the neighboring villages to get her medicinal herbs. She should be back tomorrow morning.” 

“Then that’s great!” Sokka cheered, a timid smile forming on his face. “We can come back tomorrow and -”

“No,” Ikem muttered, his eyes sinking down onto the floor. 

“Are we not allowed to return tomorrow?” Aang blinked. 

“Are you out of your mind?” Azula’s inquiry came out as a threat. “You know you can’t give us any kind of order, right?”

“Calm down,” Zuko warned her. “Ikem, please explain to us what is going on here.”

“Your mother... “ the man hesitated. “Ursa - She doesn’t remember you.”

“ _ What? _ ” There was something awfully dangerous about Azula’s tone. 

“What do you mean?” Katara asked, sensing Zuko heavily breathing by her side. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore

“She really doesn’t remember you,” Ikem sighed, desperation visible through his voice. “Your mother doesn’t remember a thing about her time as Fire Lady.” 

“Don’t mess with us!” Azula seemed on the verge of tears. “This is just one of her tricks! She just wants me to give up on everything I’ve ever known!”

The look on Zuko’s face was the poster image of frustration. “Ikem, how could something like that happen?” Behind his composure hid a tremble on his voice. The proof of his emotions. 

“At first, I didn’t want to believe it either,” the man said, picking up his sight to look at the leader of his nation. The firstborn child of his now-wife. “You probably have no clue of who I am, right?” 

“No, not really,” Zuko admitted. 

How would they know who he was? Katara wasn’t sure of what to say. Perhaps she shouldn’t say anything at all. It was Zuko’s time to get some long-awaited answers. It was also Azula’s turn to get things straight, though she was unexpectedly silent. The waterbender decided to stay quiet, digging her eyes on Zuko’s as she focused all her energy on him. It had to be okay. After all their effort, there had to be a rational solution to the ever-changing situation. 

“Your mother and I have known each other for a long time. You know, I was going to marry her before Prince Ozai demanded to betroth her. In the blink of an eye, she was gone. Left with no warning other than some hurtful words and the promise that marrying your father was what she truly wanted.” Everything about Ikem’s expression looked sorrowful, anguished by unwanted memories. “So she left, only one day after I had asked her to be my wife. We didn’t even get to perform  _ Love Amongst The Dragons  _ together… Around that time, everyone said it would be alright. But, clearly, that was not the case.” 

“ _ Love Amongst The Dragons _ ?” Azula seemed shocked as she turned to face her brother. “Isn’t that the dull play Mother used to take us to in Ember Island?” 

“It is,” Zuko looked out of breath. “That’s the play.”

“Turns out Mother is just as sentimental as you.” Her lighthearted remark didn’t seem to convey her concerned expression. Once she turned to face Ikem, her eyes shimmered with eagerness. “Anyhow, keep going. We need to know the whole truth.” 

Not even the flickering luminescence of the candlelights seemed as unstable as the atmosphere that surrounded them. Katara sensed it. The unsettling heaviness of the words yet to be said. A brisk of uncertainty mixed with fear. 

The man nodded before speaking. “I almost went down to the Forgetful Valley. During all those years Ursa spent away from me I kept wondering about the last thing she said to me. How could she really want a life that wasn’t her own, next to a man that she did not love? Day and night, those thoughts consumed me. Until one day… One day she was simply back.”

“Simply back?” Zuko frowned. “How?” 

“I found her on the porch of her old home, this house, just standing there. Her eyes were glistening like never before and she had the most clueless look on her face. It became clear she had no clue her parents had already passed away. They left me this house, all to honor her memory. We were the only ones who seemed to remember her for who she really was…” His voice muffled a sigh. “And when I called her name… She didn’t respond to it. Though she did recognize me. But she insisted her name was Noriko, that it had been for years. That was the moment I knew something was wrong.” 

“Why on earth did she come back here?” Azula’s question seemed more of a statement. An affirmation of how delusional that whole explanation sounded like. 

“Azula, your mother thinks she only ever left Hira’a to travel to Gaipan, Agni knows why. She also thinks she renamed herself Noriko before leaving this town.” 

Aang frowned. “Are you saying she doesn’t even acknowledge being Fire Lady for a decade?”

“I swear she doesn’t,” Ikem nodded, his expression clouding. “Every time I try to explain, she gets hysterical, sometimes even fainting without regaining consciousness for hours.” 

Katara feared the response to the question she was about to formulate. “So… She doesn’t even know she has two children looking for her?”

Zuko shot her a desperate look as if asking why did she rush that inquiry. The answer was clear: they didn’t have any time left. If Ursa didn’t even acknowledge her own children, then severe measures would have to be taken. But how to start without hurting her new family in the process? 

Ikem let out a sigh. “She doesn’t even know the real reason behind her leaving town for so many years. Her parents were gone, everyone else who knew her well enough to suspect anything was absent or missing because of the war, and who would ever dare to think a Fire Lady has escaped the Royal Family? She blended in well, I made sure of it. You have to understand I was just as clueless as you are right now.”

“So you just saw the chance to get your sweetheart back and took it? Just like that, without thinking about the consequences?” Toph’s voice had a strain of astonishment to it, tainted with a brisk of annoyance. It became clear she didn’t exactly approve of the man’s behavior.

“Wait, Toph,” Sokka mouthed. “Wasn’t Ursa in Gaipan for over a year before coming back here?”

“She was,” Katara rushed to answer. The last thing they needed was to create animosity between Ikem and them. “She spent a year in Gaipan and a while in Ba Sing Se.” 

“She visited Ba Sing Se?” the man seemed surprised. “She never mentioned that.” 

“Well,” Azula chuckled. “My dear mother failed to mention a hell of a lot of details.” 

An awkward beat of silence filled the room, making Katara hyper-aware of how rapidly time had passed since they had arrived at the indigo house. The light had stopped dripping through the curtains, leaving the unlikely group with only the candles to bring some lightness into the space. The atmosphere seemed fitting to their conversation, though the home had a natural warmth to it. The waterbender wondered if that kind of gentle ambiance was the one Zuko longed the most when thinking about his mother. From the little he had told her, Ursa seemed like that kind of person. 

“Well, then that’s it?” Suki muttered.

“I don’t expect you to agree with my decision to allow her to live that delusion,” Ikem said, taking a brief pause. “But she came back to me, asking me to marry her as we planned all those years ago. It seemed like a dream, a second chance for us to be together. And I didn’t know if she would be safe back at the Capitol… It wasn’t easy but we’re happy now.” 

“You’re happy… And you have a daughter.” Zuko’s eyes were filled with sorrow. 

“Kiyi seems like a lovely child.” Katara tried to shed some light on the gloomy realization. 

Ursa had a whole new life there. It wouldn’t be easy to try and make their way into it. 

“Thank you,” Ikem said, twitching his lips into a soft smile. “She seems to like you quite a bit, Zuko.” 

“Well, well, well,” Azila chimed. “What shall we do now then?” 

Everyone exchanged a hesitant look. Amidst the confusion, uncertainty started to arise. 

“I would like to see her,” Zuko stated. His voice concealed a great deal of determination. “Do you mind if we return tomorrow?” 

Ikem doubted for a moment that seemed to last ages. Once he spoke, his voice was tainted with hesitancy. “Why don’t you come tomorrow in the afternoon? That would give me enough time to warn her.”,

“Thank you,” Azula said, much to everyone’s surprise. “I hope you understand we just want to get our mother back.”

“I doubt if that’ll be within reach, but you’re welcome to try.” 

Zuko let out a sigh. “Thank you, Ikem, for taking the time to explain the situation for us.” 

“You think there’s any chance of getting back her memory?”

“We’ll see what we can do,” Toph replied with a smirk. “We’re a pretty resourceful bunch.”

“Dad?” Kiyi stumbled into the room. “I’m bored! Can I play with our guests yet?” 

Katara shot Zuko a compassionate look. It couldn’t be easy to realize this little girl was his half-sister. A sister he had spent years without even knowing of her existence. The sheer cruelty of that reality seemed a tad too heavy of a burden. There was always something, always a catch that prevented them from reaching their goal. Why couldn’t they ease into the new world instead of being forced to keep fighting against anything and everything?

Yet, in the middle of all that uncertainty, there was something not to be taken for granted. They had found Ursa, who seemed like a whole new person, but they had found after all. That had to account for something, right?

“Hey kid,” Ikem said, smiling at his daughter. “I’m not sure if…” 

“I’ll play with you.” Katara was determined to allow the girl to have a little fun amidst the mess they’d created. “You brought your doll with you?”

Azula stared at her as if she had just said she was running a marathon back to the South Pole. But that didn’t prevent her from standing up and smiling at Kiyi. 

The kid smiled, eyes wide open with excitement. “Yes, Kat, I have Kiyi here with me.”

“Is her doll named after her?” Suki frowned. 

“Yes, she is,” Zuko finally spoke, taking a deep breath before continuing. “Ikem, may my sister and I talk to you in private?’”

The man looked surprised but didn’t deny his request. “Sure, let’s head to the kitchen.”

Once Azula and Zuko had walked away from the small living room, Katara was left sitting on the floor next to Kiyi, Suki, Toph, Sokka, and Aang. Their reactions to the girl’s witty remarks brought some comfort to the circumstances. 

She looked through the window, admiring the blueness of the night sky. One of the many skies she had seen in just a couple of days. Things were moving quickly, as usual. But this time it felt different. Maybe they had finally found the place where all their pieces connected into one complex answer. Though certainly not yet. 

“So you’ve met this kid before?” Aang whispered. 

“Yeah, when we searched across the square.” 

There was something off about his expression. A hint of what she feared the most. 

“Aang, are you alright?” 

“Yes,” he replied, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s all just a tad too crazy, don’t you think?” 

“Were you expecting any less from us?” Katara smiled with a bittersweet grin. “I’m not sure what to think yet, about any of this. Do you?” 

“No,” he said as he shook his head. “I’m just hoping we don’t end up doing more harm than good.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“Nothing, really. But look at us, barging into a family home just like that. We don’t know what really happened to Ursa yet.”

“You’re right.” She sensed a frow taking over her face. “We don’t know anything. And we don’t find that out by not getting involved. Zuko needs this, Aang, you know that.”

“And what do you need, Katara?” His words were much harsher than expected. “You seem to be the only one without some kind of a plan for the future.”

That statement surprised her. There wasn’t any particular reason for him to bring that out, especially not there in front of everyone else. 

“What does the future have to do with any of this?” Her voice shadowed a sting of remorse. “Last time I checked, we were too busy helping our friend for me to get fixated on wants and needs to come.”

“I’m sorry for the abruptness,” he rushed to say, noticing Kiyi approaching them. “It was just on my mind.”

“Aang, we can talk about it,” she muttered with a half-smile. “But not now, not  _ yet, _ okay?”

Before he had any chance to answer, Kiyi had already stumbled her way to them. A sweet grin lightened her face, giving away her tender excitement. 

“And what’s your name?” the girl asked, looking at the Avatar. 

“I’m Aang, a pleasure to meet you kid.” 

“Hi, Aang!” The little one laughed before turning to the waterbender. “Kat, do you know why Zuzu is talking to my dad?”

She let out a sigh, trying to put on her best smile. Some things she couldn’t say yet. “Um, he’s probably arranging our visit for tomorrow. Did you know we’re coming back?” 

“You are? That’s great!”

“Yes, we are Kiyi.” Zuko’s voice echoed all across the living room. “And I’ll be happy to play with you then but now I think its time to leave you and your dad alone for dinner.” 

Katara wasn’t expecting for them to leave so early. Still, she understood why they were taking off in such a way. They were still strangers to those people.. Ikem probably needed some time to assimilate things and plan for what would be a very turbulent next day. 

In all honesty, they too could use a moment or two to come to terms with reality. 

  
  


The way back to their camp was a silent one. Even though they had technically been victorious on their search - given they had found Ursa after all and were even going to see her the next day - a gloomy atmosphere clouded their path. On top of it all, it was already dark outside and the tiredness of traveling started making her way to the group. 

Katara was certain no one was sure of what to say. Not even Sokka or Toph dared to joke around a little, and Azula kept her sharp remarks for another time. The new situation had most certainly shaken them all. The distressed look in Zuko’s golden eyes served as a confirmation of the generalized confusion. 

Once they were all settled in and ready to get some sleep, Katara managed to find a moment alone with the person she had longed to talk things through the most. 

Zuko made the slightest of smiles as soon as he saw her. “Why do I feel like I’ve barely seen you in ages?”

“Because it’s no longer just the two of us around here?” She plummeted herself to the grass next to him. “And because today felt like one of the longest days of my entire life.”

“I think it really was the longest day of my life,” he said, sinking his eyes into hers. “Please, tell me you can stay here for more than five minutes.” 

There wasn’t anything else she would rather do. Being next to him always had a soothing effect on her. This time, with the nocturnal breeze brushing their heads, it felt as if sharing a moment together was one of the few reals things left in the whole wide world. 

Though they couldn’t be as genuine as they would’ve wanted to. Even on a corner of the grounds, Hira’a wasn’t some deserted island with a perfectly placed clearing hidden by the trees. Everyone else was only a heartbeat away from them, which meant they had the act as if nothing unusual was going on between them. Yet they both knew more than well that wasn’t the case. A troubling search was certainly not the best time for a romance to begin blooming but being the same kids who stopped a war… They were aware of how no moment should be wasted. Not when you are so desperate for somebody to want you the same way that you want them. Not when the future is still nothing more than a vague aspiration. 

“For you? I could stay here all night.” Katara suppressed the urge to erase the already small distance between them. “Now why don’t you tell me what’s going on tough that head of yours?” 

“Me?” Zuko let out a frustrated sigh. “Katara, I don’t even know what to think of all of this.”

“At least you’ll see your mother tomorrow,” she muttered, looking at the night sky for a moment. “We’ll make her remember you. Don’t you doubt that for even the slightest of seconds.”

“I’m not doubting that.” His eyes were filled with torment. “It’s just… Agni, it’s everything. I have a sister, Katara, I have a sister that I didn’t know of until a few hours ago.” 

All she was able to do was to take ahold of his hand, interlacing their fingers in a reassuring gesture.  _ I’m here, _ she thought.  _ I’m always going to be here for you, no matter how confusing things get. _

“Mother remarried, changed her name, had another kid,” he continued, taking a breath. “She’s probably happy now, away from everything. Away from  _ me.  _ What if she doesn’t want to remember me? What if she did it on purpose? I’m not sure of what’s right anymore.”

It was painful to hear him talk like that. To know he doubted himself so much. How could anyone not want to remember one of the greatest persons she’d ever met? Especially his own mother? No, that didn’t make sense. 

“Zuko, I know in my heart your mother would never willingly forget you.” She squeezed his hand, brushing her fingertips against his skin. Every move she made was an intent to express the multitude of feelings she had for him. “And Kiyi already loves you, I think you should know that. She kept talking about how excited she was to see you again tomorrow. yet she doesn’t even know you’re her big brother.”

“Big brother?” He grimaced. “It’s strange, you know? I haven’t seen myself as a real, functioning older brother to Azula in a long time. Kind of like you and Sokka in a way, but without all the lovely sibling’s relationship you’ve got going on. Still, now I have this little girl to take care of.”

“You’re going to take care of her? Is that what you and Azula talked about with Ikem?”

“Sort of. I would love to make sure they have everything they need, for starters.” His eyes lightened up for a second, probably picturing himself with this new, larger, and strange family. “But if Mother ends up remembering us… I would love to have them around the Palace more often.”

“Well I think that’s great, Zuko, really,” Katara said, twitching her lips into a soft smile. “I promise we’ll make some sense out of this.”

He looked at their hands, fingers intertwined, and racing hearts. “What if my sister sees us like this? Won’t she freak out?”

“Oh, I wasn’t aware that this was our first time holding hands…”

“It isn’t, Katara,” he chuckled, his voice tainted with tenderness. “And I like how relaxed you seem about it right now.”

“I just…” She let out a sigh. “You’re going through some tough stuff, I don’t see what’s wrong with me giving you a little emotional support.”

“And it has to include holding hands and looking like two romantic fools?”

She arched a brow. “Hey, if you mind -”

“You know I don’t, I could never mind.” He grinned, giving her a slight push on the shoulder. “Thank you.”

“For what?” 

“For being here with me,” Zuko muttered. “I don’t know, just… Thank you.”

Her mind filled with affection. “Well, thank you too.” 

“For what?” 

“For being you, Zuko,” Katara laughed. “Do I really need a specific reason to thank you?”

“I suppose not,” he complied, staring into her blue eyes. “Just stay here a little longer.”

“I’ll stay here as long as you let me to.” Her voice was tainted with a warm, fuzzy sentiment. 

“Now tell me a bit more about Kiyi, I saw you two playing and it was seriously heartwarming.” 

And so she did. She told him all about his new little sister, and she talked quite a lot about Azula, too. About how she hoped they would get past their vast differences one day. A little chat with a more hopeful ring to it was necessary. 

That night, they made each other smile. The next day, they would have to face the consequences of forgetfulness. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!   
> I'm very sorry for the delayed update but I can now safely say I survived yet another full week of midterms. Though they really help to spark up that desire for writing, being unable to dive into a story only makes me even more eager to do so. 
> 
> Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! As ever, thank you so much for reading, and remember comments are always appreciated!   
> Until the next update guys! <3


	35. Nothing But A Shadow

“Good morning.” The words caused Zuko to flinch due to his lack of attention to his surroundings.

The Fire Lord hadn’t planned to spend the first moments of his day staring into the horizon, but he sure had done that anyhow. A part of him hoped the gentle morning sun would have an answer to his many questions. Though the only certainty the sunlight brought with it was the fact that time could fly by while he got lost amidst his very own thoughts. 

He watched as Katara took a seat by his side, skimming her side-body against his whilst the sun kissed her cheeks. Why was she up this early? It wasn’t as if they had anything productive to do until the afternoon. And she had always been one to rise with the moon. 

“‘Morning,” he replied, twitching his lips into a soft smile. “You’re up early.” 

“I was just writing a quick letter to Rya,” Katara took the piece of paper out of the pocket of her robe. “See? I thought I could send it to the post office in town.” 

“Oh, right, I forgot that we need to eat there today,” Zuko muttered. “I barely remember where my head is these days.” 

“Well, I’m here to remind you of such things. Right now, you just have to focus on your family.” 

_But you’re my family too,_ Zuko wanted to whisper. Though he knew it might still be a little too early to confess those words. Truth was, he had no clue of how he would’ve survived without her the last couple of months. Whenever he found himself starting to feel hopeless, just one word, one look, one smile had the power to turn things around. 

“Speaking of your family,” Katara continued. “We should write to your Uncle about this. Unless you prefer not to, of course.” 

“No, no, it’s okay,” he said as he brought himself back to reality. “I’ll write to him before we head out for the day.” 

“Any urges to explore the town?” It was clear she was making an effort to gloss over the troubling details of their situation. 

“Not really. At least until… - you know, until I get a clue of where I’m standing.” 

“Today we’ll be one step closer to it, I promise.” Her loving blue eyes were fixated on him, shimmering with a determination Zuko was already more than familiar with. 

Yet another thing he was familiar with interrupted their scarce moment of closeness. 

“Well, well, well.” Azula’s voice echoed across the morning air. “What are you promising to my naive brother, Kat?” 

“Kat?” The waterbender frowned at the unusual nickname. 

Azula let out a soft laugh. “If a five years old can call you that, then I guess I have the right to do so as well.” 

Katara shot Zuko a confused look. Neither of them seemed all that sure of how to take his sister’s words. 

“Well then, promises anyone?” 

“And good morning to you too, Azula,” Katara fumed. “I was just telling Zuko today we’ll get some much-needed answers.”

“Adorable, isn’t it?” The princess chanted, amusement tainting her voice. “You seem to be each other’s emotional support human.”

If there was one thing that came to Zuko’s mind as his sister mocked them, it was certainly not adorable. Did she know? Did she suspect anything? Perhaps it was all another one of her delusions. Yet this time she would be right about that. A little too right. 

“Yes, Azula, we’re _adorable_ , thank you very much.” Katara seemed to have caught the bait. “Any other compliment to add?”

“Well…”

“Why don’t we talk for a moment?” Zuko rushed to interrupt what seemed to be the beginning of potential bickering. He directed a severe glance to his sister. “Just you and me, Azula. I have a few things I’d like to discuss.” 

“Fine.” The princess rolled back her eyes as she let out a sigh. “Kat, you mind?”

Katara looked as if she was doing her best not to scream. “Sure. Zuko, I’ll see _you_ later.” 

“Whoa, I like you too, waterbender!” Azula giggled as she waved at her. The minute she was gone, the princess turned around to look at him. “Zuzu, that girl needs to learn how to take a silly joke.” 

“Or maybe you just need to learn what things she finds funny and what things she finds annoying.”

“Sure, whatever you say.” Her voice was tainted with boredom. “Now what did you want to talk to me about?” The princess sat on the ground next to him. There was a more serious look in her eyes. 

Zuko took a deep breath before speaking. “Azula, are you okay?”

The expression on her face was of complete astonishment. “Why are you asking?”

Truth be told, even he felt a tad surprised by his question. It had surged from the very bottom of his heart, a brotherly instinct that had been butchered to make room for a survival one many years ago. Though it seemed to be back now. 

“Come on, I’m barely holding on here,” he muttered. “This cannot be easy for you either.”

“Now _this_ is adorable,” the princess whispered. Her voice seemed clouded by disbelief. “Are you actually worried about me or just concerned about me getting frustrated and attacking your precious friends?” 

“Azula, could you drop the act for five seconds?” His words came out like a mixture of an annoyed exclamation and a desperate plea. “This is about you.” 

A beat of silence found its way to them. Zuko wasn’t so sure about the last time he had been so vulnerable in front of her. In fact, he didn’t remember Azula staying silent either. That search seemed to be shedding a little clarity between them. 

“I’m fine,” his sister blurted out. “I just need answers.”

“Hmm,” he hummed. “I’m not so certain we’re going to get those today.”

“I wouldn’t be so surprised if Mother didn’t want to remember me. After all, she was always convinced I was just a monster.”

“Azula…”

“Don’t worry,” she carried on with an embittered tone. “I’m not about to let you feel sorry for me, Zuzu. A true monarch never lets down their guard.” 

That was the sister he knew well. The stubborn, power-hungry Fire Princess. Yet there was a slight part of her that was still just his little sister. And now they both had another little one to take care of. 

“Whatever happens today, whatever we find out, we’re not abandoning them.”

Azula blinked. “Abandon who?”

“Mother’s family,” Zuko said, a determination tainting his voice. “Like it or not, they’re our family too. I’m going to make sure they’re taken care of.” 

“Oh, Agni, you have to be kidding me. I knew you were a sentimental weeper, Zuzu, but this is ridiculous!”

“It’s not your choice and you know it.”

“You can’t just keep pretending I’m nothing more than your unstable little sister, you know? I should have a say on these matters! I’m a member of the Royal Family!”

“You should realize you _have_ a little sister now!” he exclaimed, feeling himself starting to get exhausted. “Kiyi is our Mother’s daughter, Azula. She is also a member of our family, no matter how hard you despise the idea, so you better get used to it.”

The princess grimaced in rejection. “Oh, sure, and what then? Do we take her to the Palace? We give her a room, maybe even my room? You know, if you wanted a replacement you could’ve just adopted your rude earthbender friend. Or Katara, since you two seem to come as a matching set nowadays.”

“I don’t know!” Zuko knew he was talking a little too loud. “I don’t have a clue of what comes next, alright? What I do know is that I’m not abandoning my family!”

“Bold of you to act as if you didn’t dump me in an asylum for over three months.”

Those words annihilated him. They sucked the air out of his lungs. For a moment, he almost felt the need to beg for forgiveness. Almost. 

“You would’ve killed me.” His words were merely a whisper, a sad attempt of an explanation. “You would’ve killed everyone, Azula. You just didn’t care who or what stood on your way to the throne.” 

Another beat of silence made their confessions even more unbearable. It was clear they both had a reason to resent the other. Which resentment was more justified didn’t seem to matter all that much. Not anymore. Not when there was something else to be dealt with.

Azula was the first one to speak. “Yet you’re here, huh?” 

Zuko sighed. “Only thanks to Katara.”

“No surprise you still hold onto her as if your life depended on it,” the princess chanted. A playful spark was back in her eyes, though a troubled look prevailed above it all. “She’s one of a kind, I’ll give you that.” 

“Are you trying to say anything?” 

“Not at all, Zuzu.” She shook her head. “I’m just trying to take that depressing look off your face. Your friends will annoy me for days ends otherwise.” 

“Do you understand you can’t, under any circumstance, be violent or rude to Mother or her family?” 

Azula rolled back her eyes one more time. “Yes, brother, I’ll be a good middle sister if that’s the only damn way to get my answers.” 

He decided to ignore the more than sarcastic tone in her voice. “Thank you, Azula.”

“No problem, Zuzu,” she said as she stood up. “Now if you don’t mind, I’ve got breakfast waiting for me.” 

Zuko dragged himself to his feet as he watched his sister sprint to where the others were eating. In no time they would all leave for town and he still hadn’t written the letter to Uncle. He had to hurry or else he would become a drag to everyone else. 

Though he wasn’t all that eager to carry on with his day, yet. No matter how much he longed for an answer, he was still terrified. Petrified by what Ikem had told them. 

Perhaps Azula was right. What if Mother didn’t want to remember him after all?

  
  


* * *

Knocking on his mother’s door was amongst the hardest things Zuko had ever had to do. 

Even with everyone there right next to him, the mixture of excitement and absolute terror were enough to have him feeling dizzy. A million questions ran through his mind. Yet he longed to see her face, to listen to her voice, to be able to stare into her ebony eyes again. It was simple: he just wanted his mother back. 

The rippling sound of the front door opening almost made his heart skip a beat. What he saw once that piece of wood was no longer on his way ended up making him completely out of breath. 

“Well, hello, hello! Ikem told me we were having some important visitors today. Come in, please, come in!”

That pleasant voice, those gentle eyes, the welcoming smile…

It was her. 

Zuko had found the person he had spent ages looking for. Mother was looking at him, inviting him to her house. It seemed surreal. 

Perhaps a little too surreal, given the way he seemed to have lost his ability to speak. Luckily for him, Katara took a step forward. 

“Hi!” the waterbender said, twitching her lips into a soft smile. “Thank you for having us.” 

And those words marked the beginning of a new stage in their search. 

Once they were all inside the house, the tension was palpable in the air. Ikem welcomed them with a preoccupied smile whilst Kiyi jumped up and down all around the living room looking for someone to play with her. 

Introductions were made, seats were taken, and a strange atmosphere settled amidst them. A trail with cookies, sandwiches, and a tea set rested on the table. Zuko didn’t fail to notice the care and dedication his mother had put to make them feel welcomed. Maybe not everything had changed that much. 

Ursa let Kiyi hop on her lap, giving a little butterfly kiss to the doll. “So Ikem said you met yesterday at the square, right? Thank you so much for helping my little troublemaker find her doll.” 

“It was nothing, really,” Zuko finally managed to mumble. “She’s fun to be around.”

“See, mommy? Zuzu, Kat, and ‘Zula think I’m fun!” 

“You’re a lucky girl, kiddo,” Ursa smiled. “So where are you all from?” 

“The Fire Nation.”

“The Southern Water Tribe.”

“The Earth Kingdom.”

“The Southern Air Temple.”

It was more than clear they hadn’t thought that answer through. 

Ursa blinked in surprise. “Whoa, you come from all over the world, huh?”

Those words made Zuko realize his mother really didn’t have a clue of who he was. She didn’t recognize him, not in the slightest. And that was enough to shatter his heart. 

“We’re a traveling gang,” Toph chimed. “Well, used to be at least.”

“And what brings you to this quiet little town?” 

“Business,” Sokka rushed to reply. 

“More like personal affairs,” Azula defied. “Interpersonal business and so on. We’re hoping to find what we’re looking for here.” 

Zuko shot his sister a severe look. He had no intention of being so blunt. Then, he noticed Ikem has strangely quiet. Well, unless it was his intention to just let them inquiry his wife. 

“And what is it that you’re looking for?” Ursa said as she grabbed a cookie without a single cloud of preoccupation on her face. 

“It’s a company secret,” Suki muttered. “Sorry.”

“Ursa, Ikem told us you had your days of traveling as well,” Zuko mouthed. There was no way around it. “How did you end up back on Hira’a?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t want to bore you with that story,” Ursa chuckled. “I’m sure there are better things to talk about.”

Zuko noticed Aang shifting on his seat. If he was right, his friend had the same hunch as he did. It was just as Ikem had warned them, his mother didn’t respond well to anything that could shatter her made-believe reality. 

“Please,” Katara said, her voice tainted with sweetness. “We would love to hear all about it.” 

So his mother began speaking. Muttering nothing but lies, a pain-free version of her life that ended with her living happily ever after in Hira’s, unaware of everything she had lost along the way. 

Ursa told the tale of a young woman who left her town to fight the war and explore the world. How she changed her name to blend in with the Earth Kingdom citizens. The tale of a Master Herbalist who became too fixated on life outside her Nation and only realized she missed it after she saw how the war kept tearing families apart. A story in which she returned from Ba Sing Se only to say goodbye to her friends from Gaipan and go back to her hometown. Words that narrated how she was reunited with the love of her life after many, many years. How she went back to being a Master Herbalist and an amateur actress as well, raising a witty little girl named Kiyi. A tale so perfect almost no one would believe it was nothing but a heart-wrenching lie. 

Silence. That was what prevailed after Ursa was done speaking. The uncomfortable sound of disbelief. 

“I warned you it was a boring story,” Ursa laughed. 

“Zuzu, can we play now?” Kiyi plummeted herself to the floor. “Sit here with me and Kiyi.”

Agni, it never ceased to amaze him how on earth his little sister shared a name with her doll. 

Defeated, Zuko gave into it. After all, he wanted to get to know her better. “Sure, kiddo, let’s go.” 

He sat on a corner of the room as Katara nodded at him. He trusted her to keep an eye on things whilst he shared a moment with the newest, youngest, addition to the family. 

“Mommy is great with guests,” the girl chanted as she brought another doll to play with. “She was very excited to have you here since no one but my friends ever visits.” 

“But we’re your friends too, right?” 

“Yes! And now you can play with Tali.”

“Tali?”

“Tali,” she said, handing him the new doll. “We’re celebrating with a tea party, of course.” 

“Right,” Zuko chuckled as he impersonated the doll. “What tea are we drinking today, Kiyi?”

“We’re drinking strawberry and jasmine tea, my friend. And I made those chocolate cookies you seem to like so much.”

Without warning, his sister offered him a cookie. The tea party was a realistic one, after all. Zuko smiled thinking about the last time he had even held a doll. Probably only to stop Azula from burning their hair off. Those were bittersweet memories. 

“Thanks for the cookie, dear,” Zuko chanted with the highest pitched voice he had ever used. “It’s great.” 

Just when he was getting the hang of it, the dialogue back at the table caught his attention. 

“This is all a punishment, isn’t it?” Azula’s voice echoed across the room. “What did I ever do so wrong?”

“Oh, dear, I don’t think you’re feeling too well.” Ursa’s tone was tainted with urgency. “Let me prepare you one of my famous green leaf concoctions.” 

“I don’t want that!” The princess cried out. “I just want my answers!”

Zuko sprinted to his not-so-little sister. “Azula, is everything alright?”

“No, of course, it’s not! Can’t you see? We’re nothing! Nothing but a shadow, a mistreated and obliviated past!”

“What is she talking about?” Ursa asked, preoccupation written all over her face. 

“It’s nothing,” Ikem lied. “She has a condition, sometimes she bursts into delusion.”

“Oh, for Agni’s sake, you call _me_ delusional?” Azula let go of his grip, taking a step forward. “Zuko, you said you wanted answers, didn’t you? Then act like it!”

“Kiyi, go to your room,” Ikem said. 

“But dad-” 

“Go, sweetie, it’s alright,” Ursa took her daughter’s hand. “You’ll see your new friends later.” 

Zuko shot his sister an apologetic look. “We’ll finish that tea party, I promise.” 

The second the little one was gone, Azula kept pushing. 

“Am I the only one with a sense of dignity here?” she muttered. “You can’t all be so comfortable living a lie.” 

“Ikem, would you let us explain?” Zuko pleaded. “There’s no other way.” 

“You can try,” he complied. “For now.” 

The Fire Lord approached his mother’s tears with a shaky breath. Azula copied his movements, clearly not willing to be left forgotten. 

“Ursa,” Zuko whispered, searching for a trace of his mother in the woman’s eyes. “I’m Zuko, your son. And Azula is your daughter. Don’t you remember us?”

Ursa started shuddering. “Honey, I’m afraid that’s impossible.”

“They’re right,” Aang intervened. “You’re the former Fire Lady. You disappeared years ago.” 

“Fire Lady? But that would make you…”

“Yes, Mother,” Zuko confessed. “I’m the current Fire Lord actually. And, well, Azula is still a Fire Princess.” 

“No, that’s not possible, not at all,” Ursa repeated, shaking her head. “Ikem, please, stop this nonsense.”

Before anyone had a chance to interfere, Azula clenched her fists. 

“Mother, drop the act, please! I know you think little of me but I still don’t deserve to be invisible!” The princess lost her voice amidst a treacherous pair of tears. “Please, you do love Zuko, don’t you? Then remember! Remember him, remember us!” 

“Azula, I don’t think this is help-”

“No, no, no,” Ursa had never looked weaker. “You’re delusional. All of you.”

“I’m the delusional one?” Azula cried out. “We thought you were dead! For years! But, no, you were just strolling through town with your precious replacement family!”

In a matter of a split second, Ursa fell from her seat. 

“Mother?” Azula’s voice pierced through his ears. “Mother, wake up!”

His mother was laying on the ground, completely passed out. Her face was pale and her lips looked dry. She seemed nothing but a shell of the loving lady Zuko had known and missed for years. After months of searching, that's what he had to deal with. A ghost from the past, a sting on his chest. The unforgiving truth. All of a sudden, he felt the need to throw up. 

But that wasn’t on the schedule. 

“All of you, leave!” Ikem exclaimed. “Go, now!”

Katara tried to negotiate with him. “We’re sorry, we didn’t know-”

“Oh, no,” the man shook his head as he opened the front door. “I warned you and you still pushed my wife to her limit. This is on you.”

“Their own mother doesn’t remember them and you blame them?” Toph fumed. “Unbelievable.”

“Did you forget who we are?” Azula was shaking. 

“Guys, let’s go,” Zuko said, his voice as lifeless as a brick. “But I can assure you we’ll be back, Ikem.” 

As the group stumbled through the front door, Zuko remembered his little sister. He was getting more than tired of the situation. 

“Say goodnight to Kiyi for me, could you?” he muttered to Ikem. “My group and l will figure this out.”

“You understand why I’m asking you to leave, right?”

“I know, we didn’t do Ursa any good, yet.” A lump caught in his throat. He hated not being able to call her for what she truly was. “We’ll be back once we give it some thought. Goodnight.”

With those words, Zuko stepped into the darkness of the night. Defeated. He had gotten some answers... but they were not what he had hoped for.

Nevertheless, he was not about to give up on his mother. At least not without putting up a decent fight. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Saturday everyone!
> 
> I really hope you enjoyed this chapter! Especially that little Zuko and Azula sibling's moment, it came out so organically into the page and I'm excited about the way their relationship is progressing.  
> Also, I wanted to thank you all for the lovely comments on the previous chapter! Thank you so much for the good wishes regarding my semester, you're all the sweetest. <3
> 
> Alright, that's all for now! Thank you so much for reading and until the next update!


	36. Like A Lightning Bolt

To say that the gang’s spirits were low after that night was an understatement. 

The way back to camp had been one of the gloomiest moments they had ever faced. Even though tension brewed in the atmosphere silence prevailed among them. They were bittered by confusion and that did nothing but worsen once they arrived at their base. 

At first, Katara had intended to do something other than ruminating on every possible solution. She had tried to comfort the pair of siblings, attempting to offer a few easing words, but it had proven to be next to useless. It was clear they craved quietness, a lugubrious compensation for the turmoil that drowned their minds. Still, she just couldn’t stand there and do nothing. 

Suki offered to make dinner using the supplies they had been able to get in town and Katara didn’t hesitate to help her. She understood that Zuko needed some space, given the circumstances. Yet her mind kept wandering around him, longing for the day they would get much-awaited stability. 

Their entire relationship seemed tainted with trouble, ever since that first encounter as newfound enemies. From there it had improved considerably, sure, yet they faced new challenges every five minutes or so. When would it be time for them to just take a moment to breathe? Katara found herself longing for those snowy days at the South Pole, with nothing but an International Coalition and sunsets to catch to worry about. She longed for the future, for the way they had been able to get a glimpse of what peacefully working towards the future felt like. But then again she knew finding Ursa - even if it had led to bickers with Azula and problems with other Fire Nation citizens - was essential to Zuko’s future. And that alone made it essential for hers as well. 

Once the group sat down for dinner, hesitation could be detected in their expressions. No one seemed too eager to be the first brave one to talk about it. 

Yet someone had to. 

“We need to figure out what to do next,” Zuko finally muttered. His eyes looked empty, burdened with the weight of his search. “I promised Ikem we would be back soon enough.”

Azula barely picked up her sight from the food. “What we need to do is force some sense into our mother’s head.” 

“It’s truly strange how she can look you two in the eye and not remember any of you,” Toph stated. “That’s the key here: making her remember you.”

“Easier said than done,” Zuko whispered. The gloomy expression seemed tattooed on his face.

“Toph’s right.” Suki shook her head. “We need to get to the bottom of this.”

“How do you guys think she forgot about everything?” Sokka asked, ruminating on the matter.

“It seems deeper than mere forgetfulness, you know?” Katara was sure of it. This was nowhere similar to the amnesia cases she had seen at the Medical Center. “She believes an entire alternate version of her life. It’s not just that she doesn’t remember, she has new beliefs rooted deep into her mind.”

“And how the hell do we fix that?” Toph grunted. 

That was something Katara wasn’t so familiar with. In fact, she had never seen quite anything like it before. Such an intricate puzzle drawn inside someone’s head. 

“I say we just get Mother back to the Palace and have her checked by the royal doctors.” There was a dangerous look in Azula’s eyes. “There’s no point in feeding her lies by allowing her to stay here.”

“I would’ve thought you, of all people, would understand how useless it is to force someone to be anywhere against their will.” Zuko’s words were like a slap on everyone’s faces. It had been some time since that cutthroat tone had last tainted his voice. 

“Well, well, well, brother,” Azula looked miserable. “Are you saying I was right, now?” 

Toph shooked her head in exhaustion. “Right about what, Princess?” 

“If I’m so terrible for wanting to make Mother go back with us… Why isn’t Zuko the cruel one for locking me in an asylum for months?”

“And there she goes again,” the Fire Lord bitterly chuckled. “Are you never going to stop making everything and anything about you? This is about our mother, for Agni’s sake.”

Katara shifted on her seat, noticing Aang’s uncomfortable stare as she tilted her head a little to the side. The Avatar was sitting right by her side, leaving her in the middle of him and Zuko. She noticed this was the first time during the entire meal that she had ever shifted her glance away from the firebender. 

At least until it was clear her friend had one or two things to say. Just like everyone else seemed to have. 

“Guys…” Aang muttered.” 

“No - uh! I won’t fall for it, you just don’t have the guts to do what’s right now!” Azula’s voice echoed all across the woods. 

“What’s right then?” Zuko hissed, his golden eyes shimmering against the reddish hues of the firepit. “Tearing apart a functional family out of complete spite?”

“Oh, that’s low, Zuzu, I thought you were better than that.” Azula stormed to her feet, ready to carry on with the fight. “You know, we too were a functional family once.”

A beat of silence filled the air. The Fire Lord’s eyes glistened with bitterness. 

His words came out as a whisper. “You don’t understa-”

Azula didn’t take long to cut him off. “I don’t understand? Are you sure, Zuzu? Are you convinced it’s not the other way around?”

At that point, the look on everyone’s faces was of pure panic. Though in reality, they had all seen it coming. The situation was nothing but a fast-paced ticking bomb. 

“Azula, shut up!” Zuko yelled, his fists clenched as he stood up as well. 

“Mother doesn’t remember us,” the princess continued. “She doesn’t even remember  _ you _ ! You, the golden boy, the sweetheart, her one and true son! Hah, who would’ve thought we’d end up both forgotten, the monster and the angel?”

“Oh for Agni’s sake just cut the drama and leave me alone!” With those words, Zuko stormed off further into the woods. 

“Fine!” Azula yelled as she stumbled away in the opposite direction. “I guess I’ll leave too!” 

For a brief moment, no one else dared to move.

Katara was the first one to step up, attempting to go after the Fire Lord. “Zuko, wait!” she exclaimed, her voice clouded with apathy. 

A firm and sudden grip on her wrist prevented her from taking one more step. 

“Aang, what on earth are you doing?” Katara asked, astonished by his behavior.

“He said he wanted to be left alone.”

“And so what?” She shook her arm out of his grasp. “That doesn’t mean it’s okay to stop me like that!”

“Is there something you’re not telling me?” Aang whispered, his eyes clouded with fear. With doubt, with an evident clue of the harsh truth. “Katara, we both know he might as well be better off by himself right now.” 

“I’m sorry, am I missing something here?” Her words reflected her feelings. She was stuck between being offended and worrying about the implications of what Aang was trying to say. “Isn’t he the same Zuko that saved my life? Don’t you think I have a right to check in on him?”

“I don’t know, Katara, you tell me,” the airbender spat out. “Because I don’t like feeling like a fool.” 

“Well!” Toph rushed to interfere. “Why don’t we cool off for a moment? Maybe have some tea, anyone?” 

Katara silently thanked her for attempting to put an end to what could as well be the stupidest argument of her life. 

“Sist, why don’t we go take a walk?” Sokka’s voice made her flinch. Her mind had already wandered back to Zuko. “Now?”

Katara let out a defeated sigh. Could things turn any messier than that?

With a tad of luck, the answer would be a straight no. 

  
  


“What is going on with you?” her brother asked, waving his hands. “You looked almost as if you were getting ready to throw a fist at Aang.”

In the midst of the moonlight shimmering down above them, Katara could not believe what Sokka was saying. He had dragged her out of the bonfire with the excuse of taking a walk and all the way up to the beginning of the path to town. Needless to say, she didn’t have time for it when Zuko was still out there ruminating on his sister’s cruel words. 

“Oh for Spirits’ sake,” she hissed. “He was way out of line.”

“Katara, that wasn’t my question. We all know why Aang acted like a fool.” A hint of doubt was noticeable in his voice. “But…”

“But what, Sokka?” 

“Come on, I’m your brother. Why did you get so defensive?”

“Excuse me?” Her voice flaked. “I was  _ not _ acting in such a way!”

A sad expression took over his face. “You know? I thought we trusted each other.”

“What?” Even though she asked, Katara had a feeling of what her brother had meant. 

“I’m not oblivious to your life, Katara,” Sokka muttered, taking a seat on top of the fresh grass. “I know there’s one thing, in particular, you’re not telling me. And I have to admit it hurts a little.” 

The waterbender plummeted herself to the ground. So her secret was out in the open, huh? It didn’t particularly surprise her since - no matter how hard she had tried - it was a pretty damn obvious situation. 

“Sist, is there something going on between you and Zuko?” 

Sokka’s words surprised her. He hadn’t even granted her much time to respond to his previous heart-wrenching statement. Yet there he was, being as straightforward as usual. 

She took a deep breath. “You’ve said it yourself,” she whispered. “I think we both know you’ve already guessed the answer.” 

Her brother let out a sigh. “How?... When?... What about…?”

“Mai knows. She knew all along.” The words burned down her throat. Why wasn’t she feeling any relief? “And Aang… Well, he doesn’t know but you’ve seen him suspecting it.”

“What do you mean by  _ all along? _ ”

“It means that was the reason she broke up with Zuko back at Ba Sing Se.”

She wasn’t even sure what else to say anymore. For some reason, a part of her was ashamed. Embarrassed for keeping it a secret from her brother for so long. Troubled because of the implications that came with her feelings. Silent due to the unforgiving weight of it all. 

“But… You two weren’t together when we were at the South Pole, right?” A hint of protectiveness came visible through his voice. 

“No, Sokka, we weren’t.” Her eyes were glued to the ground. “We… This… Nothing happened between us until the night before we all left the Palace.”

“Spirits, you two already look like a well-established couple, I have to admit.” 

“Apparently we hid our feelings for a little too long.”

Days, weeks, had turned into entire months of denial. Luckily for them, there had been a light at the end of the tunnel. Yet everything else still seemed overwhelmingly confusing. 

“Come on, say it,” Katara whispered. “You think we’re a couple of idiots.”

Sokka blinked, a strain of surprise clouding his eyes. “Why would I ever think that?” 

“Because of Aang, because of Mai!” Her voice flaked as she felt her heart starting to race. Where were all those fears coming from? “Because we might hurt the entire group if we’re not careful enough! I’m not sure… I’m just trying to make some sense out of all of this.” 

“Katara, don’t be ridiculous.” Her brother placed his arm around her shoulder. “We all knew you didn’t feel that way for Aang, just as we knew Mai and Zuko weren’t the perfect match anymore. None of us are the same people that we were before the war, why wouldn’t our feelings change as well?”

A beat of silence invaded them as Katara took a moment to breathe. It was time to let go of all the needless remorse she had just because of the way she felt about Zuko. The tricks of her heart couldn’t be changed so there was no point in blaming herself for embracing the truth. She was never quite as happy as when she was with the golden-eyed firebender. Never quite at home anywhere else. 

Despite the complications, she wouldn’t change any of it. In the end, she just felt relieved to hear her brother supported her decision. 

“You can’t tell anyone yet,” she managed to mutter as she dragged herself back to reality. “Not before Ursa remembers.”

“You know that everyone else suspects it already, don’t you?” 

“I don’t care what they suspect.” A strain of determination could be heard in her voice as she picked up her sight. “Bringing Ursa home is the number one priority right now. Please, Sokka, you have to stay silent. Spirits’ know what could happen if Azula found out or if Aang confirmed his suspicions.” 

“Mmm, alright,” Sokka hummed, his eyes staring right through her. “Tell me, though. Do you love him?”

Her heart skipped a beat. 

“What?”

That was all that she found herself being able to say. 

“Come on, sist,” her brother made a soft and encouraging smile. “Do you love Zuko?”

Her pulse raced as she rushed to respond. “Yes.” The words fell out of her mouth like a hurricane. All of a sudden, a dreamy smirk took over her face. “Yes, I think I do.” 

The answer couldn’t have been clearer inside her mind. She had never felt quite anything like it before. Who would’ve thought that, in all her existence, she had never fallen in love in such a way? Every fiber of her being knew that what she and Zuko shared was the kind of bond stories had depicted for centuries. That great, dramatic, fated kind of connection that only comes once in a lifetime. The one that cannot be forced or imitated no matter how hard one tries. A rush of emotions that feel a little bit like a heart attack whenever that one person is near. 

The kind of love you jump in front of a lightning bolt for. 

That was the way she loved him. 

After everything they had gone through together, love was the outcome. Somewhere between all their differences and the peace they were both fighting for, a silent spark was ignited. A result of their best efforts to understand each other, a consequence of both of their sacrifices, a connection born from trust and empathy. As unexpected as it might seem to everyone else, it was a romance that had spent a long time in the making. Settled in stone amidst complicit smiles and puzzling stares. 

“Well.” Sokka’s voice made her quit daydreaming. “I’m happy for you, sist.”

Katara just arched a brow as she chuckled. 

“I’m happy for you but I’ll murder Zuko if he mistreats you in any way,” he was quick to add. “So I take it this doesn’t quite solve the question of your plans for the future, huh?”

“Why are all of you so obsessed with the future?” Despite the hint of anxiety in her voice, Katara smiled at him. “If anything, this only complicates things even more.”

It was the truth. She didn’t even want to think about it before bringing Ursa home. Her heart was still scattered all over the place, little fragments of it divided around the earth. Different pieces of home, people to love, and things to improve. A part of her questioned her ability to ever be content with the outcome of that dilemma. 

“You’ll find your way, you’ll see,” Sokka pressed his hand on her shoulder for a bit. “It’s not like any of us has it all figured out either.”

“I know. It’s just…” she sighed. “I’m not even sure where the whole thing is headed towards.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that Zuko and I have barely been able to spend time together as… as whatever we are now.” A hint of doubt slid across her eyes. “So we get Ursa home and then, what? They’re just too many questions hanging by a thread.”

“Well, I guess if you two really love each other, you’ll sit down and talk about what to do next.”

“But I’m not sure if he even knows if  _ I  _ love him yet.”

How would Zuko know if she had only admitted it to herself a couple of minutes ago? Love had a funny way of sneaking into a heart. And an even funnier way of staying hidden until the time presented itself to be right. 

“That’s something you should tell him,” Sokka advised, rubbing the back of his neck. “But only when you’re ready.”

“I guess I’ll just wait and see.” A sense of relief overflooded her. She dragged herself to her feet before continuing to speak. “Thank you, Sokka. Thanks for keeping it a secret even though you kind of knew.”

Her brother chuckled as he stood up next to her. “Katara, do you seriously think Suki doesn’t know either? She was the one that pointed it out to me!”

“Spirits, but does she  _ know _ or does she just…?”

“She just really suspects it,” Sokka calmed her down. “For now.”

As they walked back to the camp, Katara couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh. “You know, that doesn’t sound too reassuring.”

“Just play it cool and maybe Azula and Aang won’t go crazy on us all.”

“Yeah, right,” she chanted as she shook her head. “We just need a little bit of luck.”

It seemed like they needed a bit of luck regarding one too many things.

  
  


Back at the camp, Katara was shocked to find Zuko and Azula talking as if they hadn’t just screamed at each other at the top of their lungs. 

The two siblings were sitting down near the bonfire, immersed in an apparently serious conversation. The stars shimmered above them as the rest of the group sat down only a few feet away, looking a lot more winded down. 

As soon as Katara’s eyes met Zuko’s, the firebender gestured to his sister to let her know he was getting up. In a split of a second, he was walking towards her. 

“Hey,” he said, twitching his lips into a tired smile. “I was wondering where you could have run off to.” 

“Oh, I was just talking to Sokka for a moment,” she replied as her glance shifted towards her brother. When their eyes met, he gifted her with a playful smirk. She knew what it meant. “Are you and Azula okay?”

“I think we’re better now,” he shuggred in response. “But she still has no patience regarding Mother’s situation.”

Katara twirled on her feet as she remembered the empty look in Ursa’s eyes. Nothing made much sense about the way the woman had fainted as soon as they had tried to tell her the truth… 

“And you?” she muttered. “It wasn’t easy at all earlier.” 

Zuko shook his head, letting out a sigh. “All that matters now is to find a solution. Let’s focus on that.”

“Alright, well, I’ve already said that this doesn’t look like an ordinary amnesia case.”

“She just seems…So in denial. And Ikem’s tendency to let her live a lie certainly wasn’t helpful during all those years.”

“What I still don’t undertand is all that fainting. It’s almost as if her brain activates some strange defense mechanism.”

“We were erased, can you believe it? Turned into the imaginary without warning.”

Katara stared into the sadness in his eyes. He looked as if he was yet to come out of a state of pure shock. She couldn’t expect him to act in any other way. Yet it was up to all of them to come up with a solution. And she had every intention to do so. 

Before she had a chance to say anything else, Azula’s voice echoed from the firepit. 

“Zuzu, I wasn’t quite done talking to you!”

Zuko shuggred as he cocked a brow. “Can we continue this later?”

A tad of hesitation snuck into her mind. She didn’t want to keep Zuko from talking to Azula and settling down their issues. And it was well past midnight. In fact, it was quite surprising how everyone else was still awake. 

“I think I’ll try to catch some sleep,” Katara finally said. “When you’re done with Azula feel free to check if I’m still up, though.”

The firebender subtly brushed his fingertips against her shoulder. “Alright then, I’ll go try and make amends with her for now.”

“Goodnight, Zuko.” 

“Goodnight, Katara.”

Every bit of her missed the proximity they had gained while they had been on their own before. With enough luck, everything would be sorted out on time. 

When Katara closed her eyes inside the comfort of her tent, she found herself unable to tuck away her thoughts for even one minute. Her mind kept running circles around the way things had unfolded earlier that day. Ursa’s empty look in her eyes, Azula’s insistence, Zuko’s desperation, the never-ending deceptions, and, in the end, the way Ursa had completely shut down. 

It all seemed way more than simple, yet painful, forgetfulness. 

Didn’t it? 

* * *

The first thing Katara noticed when she woke up was the sound of a few light raindrops falling from the sky and into the outside of her tent. 

The second thing was just how vividly she had a feeling that she had dreamed of something. Even if it had been more of a confusing nightmare than a peaceful imagination.

Not bothering in opening her eyes, she tried to recall what the dream was about. All that she was left with was the water hitting everywhere from above and blurry images of an underwater tunnel. It was quite overwhelming. So much that for a moment she felt as if she was bound to drown. 

It didn’t make sense, she had always found comfort in every shape and form of the water. Why was she having strange flashes in her sleep? 

Green lugubrious lights.

A scream.

The weight of unexpected betrayal.

Water all around her.

A sting on her chest. 

Her healing trying to repair extreme damage.

“Don’t worry, Katara, I’ll be fine.”

The silence of leaving that spot forever.

Only the water prevailed.

Katara opened her eyes just as a realization hit her mind. 

_ Lake Laogai _ , she thought, rubbing her aching forehead.  _ Just like when we lost Jet… All because of the brainwashing… The lies implanted on his head… My healing… Familiar elements… The distant truth… _

But Ursa hadn’t reacted well to the accurate version of the facts nor to the sight of her children. Both key elements to Jet’s recovery of memory when he had been doomed by the Dai Li’s. Even so, couldn’t Ursa’s condition be of a similar nature? Whatever the cause, her healing abilities could help, keeping Ursa’s children close could help, repeating the truth to her could help. 

If only they could be certain she wouldn’t just pass out like before. 

Still, Katara knew they had to try. There was no other option, no other idea, no other path to recovery at the moment. 

In the blink of an eye, she found herself sprinting out of her tent, resolved to round up everyone and explain. 

Much to her surprise, everyone else was already awake. 

“Guys,” she greeted them by the campfire. “How are all of you up so early?” 

“Early?” Sokka laughed. “Sist, it’s almost midday.”

“What?”

Just when she thought they were teasing her, the warmth of the sun brushed her face. From one look at her surroundings, it was obvious the early morning had already come and gone. Water wasn't falling in drops from the sky anymore. She wasn't even sure it had ever rained. 

“Katara, are you okay?” Zuko asked, a preoccupied look clouding his golden eyes. 

Toph crossed her arms. “You sound tired, Sugar Queen.” 

Azula was strangely quiet, nibbling on a pumpkin cookie as she stared at her. 

Shaking her head, Katara decided it was time to speak. “I think I know what we could try to make Ursa remember.”

“How?” Aang questioned. 

“Remember how we all agreed that it just couldn’t be a mere case of amnesia?” 

“Well, I think that’s a given,” Azula muttered.

“Let her continue,” Suki intervened.

“It just didn’t sit well with me, I couldn’t sleep last night just by thinking of it,” Katara carried on explaining. “And I had the weirdest dream - Well, actually, flashbacks I think.”

Sokka made a concerned frown. “Flashbacks?”

“Yes, flashes from when we were at Lake Laogai and… all that happened with Jet…”

“Jet?” Zuko’s voice was tainted with a strange hint to it. 

“Who?” Azula chanted. 

“Guys, don’t you remember how he thought there was no war and so on? He seemed completely fixated on that nonsense?” Her eyes opened wide. “Pretty similar to Ursa’s situation, huh?”

“But Ursa didn’t go back to her senses after seeing Zuko and Azula,” Toph pointed out. 

“Yes, I know, that’s an issue but -“

Azula cut her short. “But, what, Katara?” 

“When I used my powers on him… He remembered, he was back to being himself again. Even after they had managed to make him a peon again.” 

“Are you saying your healing might just be the cure?” Sokka asked, hopefulness shimmering through his eyes.

“I’m not entirely sure it might work but…”

“But it’s the best idea we’ve had so far,” Zuko admitted. 

“We need to keep Mother awake, though,” Azula pointed out. “No use in her fainting every two seconds.”

“I thought of that, too,” Katara said with enthusiasm yet a little doubt. “My bending will keep her cold enough not to pass out from the heat and the shock, if we get her to lay down that’s something that we do in the Medical Center to prevent people from passing out, and Aang’s airbending might be able to help with her breathing.”

“You’re right,” Aang agreed. “I can help and try to keep her system as steady as possible.”

“And what should we do?” Azula pushed. “Stand there and watch?”

“We’ll be the ones telling the truth,” Zuko stated, determination visible through his voice. “With Katara’s healing and our familiar memories we might just be able to get her back.” 

“Fine,” the princess conveyed. “For Agn’s sake, I just hope this works because I’ll lose my mind if it doesn’t.” 

“We’ll take it slow,” the firebender insisted. “I’ll go talk to Ikem right away and ask permission to do this tomorrow.”

“I’ll go with you,” Azula’s voice seemed to surprise them all. “It’s the right thing to do.”

It looked like Zuko’s late-night talk with his sister had gone well. Perhaps they were more on the same page now. Or at least that's what Katara hoped. She wanted him to find peace in all aspects of his life, even the ones that had caused him so much turmoil in previous years. 

With a little luck, the improvised plan would work.

When it came time for the siblings to leave the camp, Zuko didn’t fail to find a moment alone with her.

“Katara,” he said, a soft smile spread across his face. “Thank you, I can’t believe I didn’t think of it.”

“Shhh,” she hummed as she felt her cheeks turn a tad red. “I’m not even sure if it’s going to work at all.”

“But you came up with something, didn’t you?” he insisted. “You dedicated yourself to help Mother remember me. You’ve been dedicating yourself to it for weeks already. I just don’t know how to-“

“You don’t have anything to thank me for, Zuko,” she interrupted, a warm look glimmering her eyes. “You… You know how I feel. I would do this all over again.”

His gaze seemed to flake as he grinned. “Agni, I have no clue what on earth I would do without you.”

“Zuzu!” Azula’s voice seemed to have a habit of interrupting them. “Come on, lazy bender!”

“Duty calls, huh?” Katara chuckled. “Go, go. I’ll be right here when you come back.”

“And I shall come back with a fragment of this weight lifted off my shoulders all thanks to you.”

“A pleasure, Fire Lord.”

With an affectionate smirk, Zuko sprinted towards his sister. Not before locking his eyes with her for a second. Just enough to make her heart start racing. 

Despite feeling exhausted, Katara sensed a ray of hope crippling inside her mind. If Zuko was so rejuvenated then she might as well give in to the wishful thinking.

_ For Spirits’ sake, _ the waterbender thought.  _ Please let this work.  _

She had a feeling a significant part of her future was counting on it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!  
> I hope you all had a great weekend and enjoyed this chapter! As ever, I'd love to hear what you think of it!  
> Thank you so much for reading and keeping up with this story! It truly means a lot.  
> Until the next update guys! <3


	37. Remember Me

Katara’s epiphany couldn’t have come with better timing. 

That morning everything felt a tad different as if the slightest little ray of hope had clung to the atmosphere. The warmth of the tropical air brushed through every last bit of surface on Hira’a. The sunlight-filled sky appeared welcoming yet intimidating even amidst all the green from the mountains. The expectations were inevitable. Zuko was sure everyone could sense it. It was about to happen, a wild guess to an even wilder situation.

In just mere hours they would try to get his mother’s memories back. 

Much to his surprise, Ikem had agreed to his terms. He would let them try and get his mother to remember as long as she was kept out of any risks. Zuko understood. He would never take a gamble on his mother’s safety. 

The group was scheduled to meet at Ikem’s place at noon. There they would try their best to stabilize his mother for the procedure. It wasn’t as if any of them had much clue of what on earth they were supposed to do, but it could work. 

Still, a hint of hope was all they had. And they were sure going to run with it. 

“Hey,” a familiar voice knocked out the Fire Lord from his mind. “You alright, Sparky?” 

Zuko tilted his head to find Toph standing right beside him. It was more than unusual to see the earthbender up so early. 

“Good morning,” he muttered. “I’m okay, just taking a moment to think.”

“Nervous about today, huh?” she said as she sat by his side. “Trust me, you’re not the only one. I just stumbled into Katara doing what it seemed like the weirdest of meditations right behind her tent.”

“Did she seem okay?” he asked, holding out a breath. “I’m sorry for dragging all of you into this.”

“Oh, for Spirits’ sake, don’t be stupid. We would all be dying to be here anyway,” Toph exclaimed before letting out a sigh. “And Katara was alright, I think… Her heartbeat was remarkably steady.”

“Thank you, Toph. You’ve been a great friend to me.”

“Same goes for you.” Without any kind of notice, the girl elbowed him on the ribs. “So, when were you planning on telling me about you and Sugar Queen finally making a move, huh?”

“What?” Zuko blinked. “How do you-”

“Please, even Twinkle Toes is onto it now. I’m a little hurt that you didn’t tell me.”

“Toph, I’m sorry, you know I wanted to but Katar and I agreed to keep it an actual secret.” He rubbed the back of his neck as a realization hit him. “Wait, what about Aang?”

“Let me just say he suspects something is going on between you and the so-called former love of his life.”

“And you know this because…”

“Because two nights ago, when you stormed off after fighting with Azula, Katara attempted to go after you, but Aang stopped her. It wasn’t very pretty. Sugar Queen almosts buried him in icy water. And don’t even get me started with how he straight-up asked her if there was something she wasn’t telling him.”

“Agni, this happened in front of everyone else?”

“Only Azula missed it, much to your good fortune.” The earthbender shook her head. “Zuko, I’m serious, you two should come clean before this gets any messier.”

“ _ Come clean _ ?” he grimaced, exasperation visible through his voice. “But it’s not like we committed a damn crime! We don’t even have time to talk about what on earth  _ we _ actually are. And we’re supposed to explain it to everyone else?”

“I know, I know, it sucks. I’m not demanding you to do anything.” Toph stayed silent for a moment before speaking again. “So what do _ you  _ think you two are?” 

Well, that was a tricky question. If it was up to him, he would probably say they were dating. Or starting to date. Or in the middle of something? 

Spirits’, he wasn’t sure of anything anymore. 

All Zuko knew was the way he felt for her. The way her smile seemed like the warmest of summer days and even the slightest brush of her fingertips against the palm of his hand was enough to make his world start spinning. He had fallen for Katara more than he had fallen for any other thing to ever stumble its way into his life. And he never wanted that to change. Ever. 

That was the one thing he was sure of. 

Zuko took a breath before speaking. “I think we are starting something… a relationship. I don’t know, Toph, I can’t even confirm that my own mother will remember me today.”

“Hey, I’m sure Sugar Queen feels that way too. You should’ve seen the look in her eyes when she tried to run after you.”

“But it’s all happened so quickly yet so painfully slowly at the same time,” he muttered. “I’ve spent months developing these feelings for her yet it’s been no more than a few days since I rounded up the courage to vocalize them. We have no clue of what could happen next, what other problem could come up before any of us gets a chance to move forward in life.”

“Whoa, whoa, hold up there, Sparky,” Toph grimaced, her hands up in the air. “Don’t get so frustrated right before the big moment, alright? You can always talk to Sugar Queen later.”

“Gossiping about me, Toph?” Katara’s voice echoed behind them with a kittenish ring. Zuko could almost sense the smile on her face. “Good morning to you too, guys.”

The earthbender made a nervous smirk as she let out a laugh. “Don’t be silly, I was just barely chatting with my boy Sparky over here.”

“Is that right, Zuko?” Katara chuckled.

He turned red in the blink of an eye. “Um, sure? Just getting ready to get this whole matter over with.”

“Alright, I’m gonna go wake up Twinkle Toes,” Toph said as she stood up. “Come on, Sugar Queen, you can take my place next to the mighty Fire Lord.”

Katara sat down next to him with a soft laugh, brushing her fingertips against his hand. “Morning,” she whispered to his ear. 

Zuko felt himself shuddering. All he wanted was to wrap his arms around her and stay close for at least an entire day. His one certainty nestled in his arms. 

“Morning,” he muttered back before tilting his head. 

No one else seemed to be around them. Why not let down his guard for a minute? 

He tucked one rebellious hair around Katara’s ear, careful not to mess with her hair loopies. His eyes went up and down her face, soaking in the peaceful moment. Before he knew it his lips were against hers, pressing down with an urgency that managed to surprise him. She kissed him back, intertwining their fingers as he placed an arm around her waist. 

It was reckless, in a way, to be kissing right there in plain sight for anyone to stumble their way onto them. Yet that didn’t stop them from doing it. After days of anguish, a moment to themselves was overdue. 

When they pulled apart to catch a breath, Zuko found Katara smiling at him with a brightness he wasn’t quite able to put into words. He had never even seen the sun provoke such warmth. 

“Promise me you’ll come to me if you don’t feel up to it anymore,” the waterbender whispered, placing her forehead against his. “Don’t you dare shut me down.”

He placed a quick kiss on her lips. “I promise.” The words stumbled out of his mouth as he closed his eyes before tucking her in for a tender embrace. “The last thing I ever want to do is to push you away from me.” 

“Then I’m guessing we will be just fine, Zuko, trust me.” Her voice had a strain of anxiousness to it. “We’ll solve this together.” 

Every single one of his doubts soothed inside his mind. He had no choice but to trust. To trust the girl whose heartbeat was mirroring the one inside his chest during that very same instant. To trust his mother would remember him and his sister. To trust his family would stop feeling shattered sooner than later. 

All he had to do was take a leap of faith and trust. Believe that the future had immense happiness waiting for all of them. 

With Katara by his side, Zuko felt a little more compelled to try. 

Brushing his fingertips against her back, holding her tight, he rounded up the dauntlessness to whisper an expectation. “You’re right. Today is the day we succeed.” 

He just hoped to be right about it. 

  
  


It didn’t take long for the entire team to be ready for the challenge. At the very least, they could say they had poured their hearts and souls into it. 

Ursa’s backyard provided the perfect scenery for what they were about to do. Well, if it could even be said that there was an appropriate time and place to attempt to reverse the effects of brainwashing on a person you love and care about. 

Zuko had to make do with the reality of the situation. 

Kiyi had been allowed to go straight to a friend’s house after school in order to protect her from seeing her mother in such a state of weakness and confusion. the Fire Lord would miss his newfound little sister as much as he knew this was the right thing to do. With enough luck, they could soon act as a proper family. 

To say that his mother didn’t have the slightest clue of what was going on would be an understatement. Zuko hated seeing her like that, confused and vulnerable, an echo of the woman she once was. Still, he had to push through and hope to bring her back. 

“Remind me again why we’re doing this, darling,” Ursa said to her new husband. “I mean, it’s a very kind gesture but I really should get to work soon.”

Ikem shook his head as he placed an arm around her shoulder. “You know how you keep getting those awful headaches and you end up fainting? Well, since your herbs don’t seem to be helping much these days, our guests offered to help. It might seem a little bizarre at first but I promise everything they do is to help.”

“I’m a master waterbender and healer,” Katara assured. “And my friend the Avatar here will also do his part.” 

Aang nodded in return. “We’ll try our best to improve your condition.” 

“But this can only work if you trust us,” Zuko managed to say, taking a step closer to his mother. “It all might seem a little strange.”

“Do you trust us, Ursa - Ejem, sorry, Noriko?” Azula hissed, her eyes shimmering under a dangerous light. 

Just one look at his sister was enough to read her mind. He felt the same pain, the same fear, the same heart-wrenching desperation. Much to his surprise, he found himself sensing that their relationship seemed to start evolving into something more than a gutted rivalry despite the many challenges. He just hoped that was a step in the right direction. 

The woman looked full of doubts. Yet her lips twitched into a gentle smile. “Sure, darling, let’s start with the treatment.”

Zuko gestured to Ursa to lay down on the blanket they had prepared for her, amidst all the green and the freshness of the gardens. In a way, the place reminded him of the Palace. At least that sunny exterior, the one available when his father wasn’t making sure to cover his existence with an extra layer of gloom. 

The Fire Lord shook his head, he had to stop letting the memories of his father get the best of him. It wasn’t about the wounds of the past anymore. The focus was on his future now. The future of everyone he cared about. That was the most important thing at the moment. 

When his mother was ready, eyes closed, and breathing steadily, Katara approached her with care. 

“Alright, now I’m just going to place my hands on your forehead, is that okay?” the waterbender muttered. 

Ursa nodded in approval and the two siblings came closer to her. The rest of the group was next to Ikem, just a few feet away. The expectations could be sensed all around the place. 

Finally, Katara rested her hands on Ursa’s forehead, allowing a small stream of water to flow from a strategically-placed nearby vase to the woman’s head. The shimmering glow of the water was something that always managed to impress. 

The healer frowned before tilting her head. “Aang, make sure she’s breathing properly.” 

With a swish of his wrist, The Avatar allowed for a fresher air current to come across them. When Katara nodded as if to show him it was enough, the breeze stabilized into a slight puff of air. 

Aang gave him a gentle nudge. “Zuko, why don’t you tell Noriko a little bit about your childhood?” 

The Fire Lord and his sister exchanged a confused stare. Were they supposed to start overwhelming their mother with the truth so quickly? There didn’t seem to be any other choice. 

Zuko kneeled by his mother’s side, with Azula right next to him. “Well, um, our mother used to take us to Ember Island every summer. She loved it there, even if we couldn’t appreciate it much. We still have a house there, with the nicest view of the ocean. Even our father seemed happy there.” 

“Love Amongst The Dragons, remember, Zuzu?” Azula added, her voice ever-so-gentle. “I used to think so little of that pay, full of weird masks and dramatic love gestures. But Mother loved it. She cried at every show, no matter how many times we had seen it already.”

Katara smiled at them, urging them to continue. The look on Ursa’s face was one of a newfound calmness. Nothing like the distress they had encountered just a couple of days before. 

“Mother didn’t care if the sleeves of her dress got wet while feeding the turtle ducks,” Zuko continued. “Or if I underperformed with my firebending. She always said she loved watching me either way.”

Azula stayed quiet for a moment. Her eyes were shimmering with sadness. “One time, when I was given an ugly new doll, she tried to make it as if I was given a new friend. I didn’t like it back then… But I guess that really says a lot about us.”

“Noriko, how are you feeling?” Katara asked, her hands still working to heal her. 

“I’m… fine,” the woman whispered. “I’m just a little confused. Why did this girl call me Ursa before?” 

Azula seemed restless on her seat. “Because that is your real name, don’t you remember?”

“Oh, yes,” Ursa said as her voice allowed all the turmoil to shine through. “Such a long time ago.”

“It seems to be working, keep going,” Aang indicated. 

“Mother always said that every mom in the world would always bite back when their children were in danger.” The look on Zuko’s face was of complete nostalgia. “But she forgot to tell me that children can bite back too. Children should bite if their mom is in danger.”

_ Please, work,  _ Zuko thought.  _ Please, I’m not sure what else to do if this doesn’t work. _

“Remember the turtle ducks, Ursa?” Azula carried on with a frown. “I can bet you loved just as much as Mother did. They’re such gentle, kind companions to each other.”

The woman flinched at the mention of her former name, yet she still seemed steady. “The turtle ducks, yes, such adorable little creatures.”

“They protect each other, just like Mother did everything to protect us,” Zuko found the courage to mumble. “She never stopped believing in me.”

“And I would love to know if she ever stopped believing in me,” Azula hissed before stopping because of her brother’s deadly glance. 

“No matter how things may seem to change, never forget who you are.”

Zuko wasn’t quite sure how he had ended up repeating some of the strongest things his mother had said to him. In the blink of an eye, he had found himself absorbed in the past. 

“She told me I was someone who keeps fighting even though it's hard.” The words fell out of his mouth without contemplation. The truth had a way of slipping out of its bondings. “But that’s also who  _ she _ is. I know it. She just has to fight a little more. One last fight to end them all.”

“Mother, can’t you remember us?” Azula pleaded, taking hold of Ursa’s hand. “Please, remember me.” 

Without notice, the sound of Ursa’s steady breathing stopped. For a timeless moment, there was nothing but the most terrifying silence. 

Then, the poor woman started choking, her face disfigured in a frown. 

“Ursa, can you hear me?” Katara asked, water still flowing from her hands. “Aang, how’s her breathing?” 

“She was fine, I swear she… She was fine just a second ago.”

“She's clearly not fine now!” Azula exclaimed. “Mother, are you still awake?”

No answer was provided. The next thing they knew, Ursa had completely passed out. 

“Did she faint again?” Ikem rushed to examine his wife. “Agni, this time felt different.”

“Can I stay with her?” Katara asked, refusing to stop the water flowing to Ursa’s head. “We’ve got nothing to lose.” 

“Fine, she should wake up in no more than an hour or so,” the man agreed. “I’m going to pick up Kiyi before she starts wondering where we are.”

“Let’s go, let’s go,” Toph chanted. “Let’s leave Master Katara alone with the patient and the family, please.”

“When on earth did you become knowledgeable about Medical procedures?” Aang asked. 

“About five minutes ago, Twinkle Toes,” she replied with her hands on her hips. “Now help me convince Suki and Sokka to get lunch for us all.” 

Mumbling an incomprehensive complaint, Aang followed the earthbender inside. 

Zuko tilted his head to look at the waterbender. “Katara…” 

“Please, just help her.” Azula was begging more than she had ever done in her entire life. “Just help her be stable and with her memories back.” 

“I will,” Katara promised, her eyes filled with fear. “It might have even already worked, we can’t know until she wakes up. I’ll try everything.”

“I know you will.” Letting out a sigh, Zuko placed his hand on top of her forearm. He didn’t care anymore about being seen together. If Azula could plead for help then he could hold onto the one who saved him the most. “Thank you, Katara.”

It was bound to be one hell of a long hour. 

  
  


Time passed, and Ursa was still unconscious. Kiyi and Ikem arrived, lunch was served, one hour turned into two, and Katara refused to move from the woman’s side. 

For Zuko, this was heart-breaking and tender at the same time. He was confident words would never be enough to thank the talented waterbender for everything she had done for him and his family. 

But nothing could be enough to sugar-coat the fact that his mother still didn’t remember him. 

“Katara, are you sure you don’t want a tea at the very least?” Ikem insisted for the third time in a row. It was clear the man felt a good grade of empathy towards them, despite the initial turmoil between them. 

Zuko shot the girl an imploring look. “Come on, you’ve got to keep your energies.”

“Alright, alright,” Katara complied. “I’ll have green tea.”

“Finally, I’ll be right back.” Ikem sprinted towards the house with the same preoccupied look from earlier.

The waterbender chuckled as the man stepped away from them. Her hands seemed glued to the resting woman on the ground. The water prevailed, never ceasing to flow from the vase to Katara’s hands to finally end up on top of Ursa’s head. 

“She might wake up soon, I have a feeling,” the girl whispered. 

“Katara, I’m not kidding,” Zuko said, brushing his fingertips against her forearm. “Don’t forget to take care of yourself. We need you healthy too.”

“Aw, aren’t you two the most adorable pair of weirdoes?” Azula’s voice caused them to flinch. The two lovers laid eyes on the princess, afraid to even ask. She just rolled back her eyes.”What? Did you seriously think I had fallen asleep? I was just resting for a second!”

“Thanks, Azula, I appreciate the compliment,” Katara chuckled with a sarcastic tone.

“Well, that was my sole attempt to lighten up the mood, so I’m glad you do.” 

Zuko shook his head with concern. “I wonder how Kiyi’s doing.”

“I’m sure the three prompted babysitters are taking good care of her, Zuzu.” 

“Toph is one of them, are you sure you stand by your statement?” 

Before the two siblings could carry on any further with their little chat, Katara silenced them both. 

“Guys, I think she’s waking up!” the waterbender exclaimed. “Look!”

Ursa had started to slightly move her eyelids. In a flash, Katara stopped the water from flowing out of the vase. The healer brushed her fingers against her forehead, checking for the body temperature. 

“She seems stable enough for me,” Katara concluded. 

“Mother, can you hear us?” Azula pleaded, her voice shaking.

A concern took over the Fire Lord. “Azula, be careful not to overwhelm her.”

“Overwhelm her?” the Fire Princess fumed. “I’m just merely asking my Mother if she can hear me!”

_ Unbelievable, _ Zuko thought to himself.  _ Not even one second and she’s already pushing it.  _

He felt exhausted, worn out from countless days and nights obsessing about the matter. The last thing he needed was yet another disagreement with his sister. 

A gasp caused him to freeze on the spot. 

“Yes, my child, I can hear you just fine.”

What on earth? Could it be...

“Mother?” Azula’s eyes shimmered with excitment and desperation. “You know who I am?”

“I know who both of you are,” Ursa said, staring at her two perplexed children. “Zuko, Azula, how did you end up here?”

“What?” Zuko felt about to throw up by the strange inquiry. 

His mother remembered him. It was finally happening. After six unsufferable years, he had found her. 

His search was complete. They could all go home. 

Fire Lord Zuko had the chance to rebuild his family. 

“I mean, how did you find me?” The woman made the warmest of smiles. “I’m sorry, I’m a little too confused. You’re both so grown up…”

He noticed a treacherous tear streaming down his mother’s cheek. Within seconds, he felt himself starting to tear up as well. The whole thing was surreal. 

“Zuko, what happened to your face?” His mother’s voice was tainted with anguish. 

“Mom, I would prefer to leave that conversation for after you explain to us what happened to you.” 

It was the truth. He didn’t want to embitter their reunion with tales about his banishment. It was time to leave those horrors behind. 

“Ursa, are you feeling okay?” Katara intervened. “Do you need anything?”

“I’m feeling more than okay,” Ursa smiled. “Thank you for healing me.”

“I still don’t understand,” Azula grimaced. “How… How did this..”

Before Ursa had a chance to give any kind of answer, Ikem rushed to his wife followed by everyone else. 

“Mommy, you’re awake!” Kiyi exclaimed, running to hug her mother. “And I see you are with our friends! ‘Zula, Zuzu, and Kat took good care of you while you were napping.”

The woman wrapped the girl into her arms. “Of course, honey, I’m here.” 

“Ursa, a pleasure to meet you again, I suppose,” Aang nervously said. 

“Don’t worry, I remember all of you. Thank you for helping my kids find me.”

“Mother, you know we are not children anymore,” Azula muttered.

Kiyi’s expression turned into one of absolute confusion. “You’re funny, ‘Zula.”

“Alright, kiddo, why don’t you go play inside for some time?” Ikem asked, taking hold of the girl’s hand. “You can eat all the pie you want with your dolls.”

“Okay, dad,” the little one complied with a disappointed tone. “But after that, I’m playing with our friends!”

“We’ll be sure to throw a feast,” Zuko assured.

The grown-ups observed the kid running back to the house before turning to Ursa. 

There was a lot that needed to be said. 

“Mother,” Azula was quick to disrupt the silence. “Can you please tell us what happened?”

Zuko nodded in approval, everyone was in need of some answers. 

The entire group sat in a circle as if the whole situation was nothing more than an amusing campfire storytime. Yet they all knew that wasn’t the case. 

The afternoon sun glowed up in the sky, burning as they waited for a certainty. 

Ursa took a deep breath before speaking. Anticipation invaded the space. 

“Let’s start with what happened the night I left the Palace to never come back...”

His mother was back. And she remembered him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!  
> How are you all doing this Wednesday night? 
> 
> First of all, I'm so very sorry for the late update! My wifi has been down for an entire day so it's been trickier to post and write. And, as usual, finals and work keep getting in the way...
> 
> Nevertheless, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I can't believe Ursa finally started remembering. Stay tuned for the next one as if it includes a very special and new POV. I'm sure you can guess it :)
> 
> Alright, that's all for today. As ever, thank you so much for reading! Remember comments are always appreciated!  
> Until the next update! <3


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